


Phoenix Fire

by SherlockMalfoy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU post OOTP, Albus Dumbledore Bashing, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Manipulative Albus Dumbledore, Mild Weasley Bashing, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con, Not Canon Compliant, Rape/Non-con Elements, Time Travel Fix-It, very slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2019-06-28
Packaged: 2019-07-07 09:32:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 59,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15905595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SherlockMalfoy/pseuds/SherlockMalfoy
Summary: As the world turns to shit and running out of options Harry makes a desperate gamble and places his faith in the words of an ancient tome and a mysterious painting of a couple from the past. He sacrifices everything to go into the Veil for a second chance at life with the man he loves... And if he manages to spare his younger self and the world of the fate that awaits them, all the better... right?ADDED Sept. 20, 2018 -Rating went up due to the nature of some story elements. Please read tags for details. - Chapter 9 has a non-graphic rape scene. A chapter summary is included at the top of the page for those who don't wish to read that chapter but do want to know what key plot points are to keep following the story.





	1. Seven Years

It ended nearly the same way it had begun.

A flash of green.

A rebounded curse.

A disintegrated body.

Well... parts of it.

The hawthorn wand he'd stolen from Draco in their flight from Malfoy Manor slipped from his grasp before he fell to his knees, blood dripping down from the laceration in his scalp. Dripping down his face.

A wave of relief washed over him before he tasted blood and ash and then... darkness.

**o0o**

When Harry next came to he was screaming. His chest burned.

The healers had to bind him to the bed to keep him from clawing at an old scar over his heart, just below the curse scar shaped like a starburst from the second killing curse he had survived.

He screamed until they were able to force him back into a deep dreamless sleep.

  **o0o**

Days passed before Harry woke again. Starving and parched. The human body can only survive on nutrition potions for so long before it needs a real meal and actual thirst quenching liquids. Instead, all he received when he'd stayed awake for longer than three hours was healer's broth. Which amounted to chicken broth with a hint of lemon.

This was also when he learned he was at St. Mungoes and surprisingly under the care of a goblin healer.

Surprising because of what he and his friends had done in order to get and then escape with the Hufflepuff Cup horcrux. He figured they would actually have wanted to kill him and his friends for that stunt. Instead he was being treated like a king.

He didn't stay awake much longer after consuming the broth.

**o0o**

Two weeks of recovery and he was finally able to stay awake for longer than six hours at a time. And it was also when he learned the full extent of his injuries... and other health details.

He sat quietly listening to the team of healers that had been treating him, led by a goblin healer and a goblin curse breaker. Each specialist detailed why they were called in to treat him. His body - his very bones - were scarred with curse damage from a very young age beyond the first killing curse and the subsequent damage from curses and hexes while he attended Hogwarts.

Another was a potions master called in from Brazil to sort through his body chemistry and find exactly all of the different potions he had been dosed with over the years. The decision to bring in the man from Brazil was made when tests showed he'd consumed more than a recommended amount of polyjuice potion in the last two years along with different love potions.

He was grateful he didn't have much of an appetite when they had asked if he wished to press charges against Professor Slughorn for certain liberties he had taken with him and other male students in connection with the polyjuice and certain obliviations that were cast on his person illegally.

Five hours it took. Five hours to tell Harry exactly what all they had found wrong with him. At the end of it all, he had only one statement and a question.

"I was in the infirmary so much at Hogwarts that they thought about putting up a plaque over the bed I always ended up in. How did Madame Pomfrey miss all of this?"

"She's been under the imperius for nearly twenty years. The spell broke the night Albus Dumbledore was murdered."

At that point Harry really did lose what little his stomach held, and did not speak again the rest of the day.

**o0o**

His friends were finally allowed to see him at the middle of the third week. He had mostly recovered from the magical exhaustion. Because he had been put on a high dose of dreamless sleep as well as pain potions they had started to ween him off and needed to keep him under observation for another week.

Only certain friends were given clearance to visit him after he'd looked at the written list of all the damage to his body that they had repaired. And the list of potions that had been administered to him over the course of his life.

Ron Weasley was not on that list of people.

Neither was Ginny Weasley.

Charlie and Bill, George and Mr. Weasley... but no Gin, Ron, nor Molly.

Hermione had promised to talk to Harry to find out why, and to pass along his well wishes.

After she saw the list, she had herself checked.

She was not happy with what she had found.

After reviewing the list a second time, she asked him what a relic stone was and why they had to remove one from his chest.

He didn't have the heart to tell her it was placed there without his knowledge and was apparently for _the Greater Good._

**o0o**

The morning before his release Harry was visited by the DMLE asking if he wanted to press charges to various parties that had survived the war and were responsible for certain aspects of his need for such a lengthy recovery.

He asked them to spare Poppy Pomfrey any wrongdoing.

Harry knew what it was like to be a puppet on a string to a master that was a manipulative bastard, and her only real crime was having a will just weak enough to be put into the thrall of another who was more powerful than herself.

It was his anger that counseled him to instruct they throw the book at Ginny Weasley and Horace Slughorn.

**o0o**

Trial after trial.

Death Eaters and their sympathizers.

He took great pleasure giving testimony against Umbridge. Some dark, deep part of him gained a sense of satisfaction at the cruel punishment of Azkaban that awaited her and her ilk.

Lucius was to get the Kiss. Draco a few years in Azkaban - and that was the lighter sentence both he and his mother received after Harry gave his testimony in favor of them rather than against.

Rape by Love Potion was an automatic two years in Azkaban.

Ginny Weasley didn't immediately see the inside of a cell after she was questioned under veritaserum. She was pregnant. Only just. Had claimed she'd conceived the night of the battle. Just before the fighting broke out. Claimed she and Harry had one last hurrah.

If he hadn't been taken to St. Mungoes instead of the Hogwarts Infirmary she would have confounded him and re-dosed him since he'd been away and off her potions for a year - the last dose having been administered the day of her brother Bill's wedding. She had planned to use a blood adoption potion once the child was born to make it look more like Harry rather than the fourth year she'd charmed into knocking her up.

Harry was assured that two charges of Line Theft of an Ancient House would be added to her records after the child was born and she could safely be carted away to prison. One charge for Potter and one for Black.

**o0o**

Harry sat his NEWTs in private in Gringotts after independent study with Hermione. He didn't trust the Ministry not to "lose" his results or other such nonsense.

He turned down offers from the DMLE and Aurors for training.

He'd had enough blood and battle. More than enough of fighting dark wizards and witches to last a lifetime. Most importantly he just wanted to be left alone.

He bought a small cottage on the coast with the most powerful wards the goblins could provide - and then some. All compensation he had received from different cases where he had been the victim were instead diverted into charities for war orphans. He was a frequent visitor at the _Phoenix House_ , a newly established magical orphanage in Godric's Hollow. Built on the very ground where Potter Cottage once stood. The orphanage was funded by _The Evans Foundation for War Orphans Fund_ , the primary charity Harry had the goblins set up for the reparations to be funneled through. He made no money off the endeavor. Only the orphanage and the goblins knew what went on with the financials.

The only people who could visit him could be listed on one hand. Two goblins (his bank manager and his personal healer), Hermione, Neville, and Luna.

One particularly cold night the four friends were gathered around the warm fireplace with mugs of hot cocoa, Harry and Neville's laced with a bit of Irish Courage, when Harry told them of a decision he'd been giving a lot of thought to since the end of the war.

"I'm joining the Unspeakables," he said.

"What?" Hermione asked, setting her cup down. "Harry, you can't just up and join the Department of Mysteries. You have to-"

"The head of the department came to see me in hospital and gave me a formal invitation. I said I'd think about it." He drained the dregs of his cocoa and set his cup down on the table beside him. "I've thought about it. It's really the only option I've got left."

"Are you sure?" Neville asked, frowning. "You know what this means for your Lordships, right?"

He nodded solemnly. "I... I wanted to ask each of you-"

Hermione frowned. "Harry you're the last of your bloodline, and with the other Blacks... well... There's Teddy but he's half werewolf and-"

"I know. The direct Potter blood dies with me. Voldemort and Dumbledore's last laugh." He sighed, looking each of his friends in the eye briefly before turning his gaze back to the roaring fire. "Because of everything those two have done to me, on top of everything else... Even if I wanted to get with a witch I can't have issue. That's how we knew Ginny's kid couldn't possibly be mine. Outside the fact I didn't sleep with her when she claims I did. Healer Bloodthorne believes I've been sterile since sixth year. A combination of what Slughorn did-"

This caused all three of his friends to shudder at the mention of the name. "And the imperfect potions Ginny was slipping me. Everything seems to have combined with the different charms and bindings Dumbledore had on me... He can't point to anything specific but that's the best theory we've got right now."

He felt a hand on his knee and looked down to the snow white hand resting there. Delicate fingers giving him a gentle squeeze of support and warmth. Harry nodded towards Luna in a show of acknowledgment before she pulled her hand away and settled back into the love seat to the side of his own chair.

"So joining the Unspeakables really doesn't matter. Whether you do or not, the Houses of Black and Potter die out with you," Neville said. Harry nodded. "Unless you appoint an heir like Sirius did."

Harry nodded again. "I have your grandmother as proxy for house Potter. And Andromeda for proxy on house Black now that I've brought her back into the family. The next Wizengmont session has the werewolf laws on the books again because of Remus's posthumous status as a war hero, and the widely publicized innovations found in Snape's personal workbooks. Specifically the improvements to the Wolfsbane potion. I've already gathered support from all of the light families and most of the neutral. I'm going to get as many of them overturned as possible. If they're all repealed, I'm naming Teddy the Black heir with Andromeda as Regent until he's of age."

The three friends considered his words and nodded their agreement of the plan. It was sound and fair and kept the title within the bloodline despite the name change the seat would undergo in the Wizengmont as a result. "Failing that," Harry said once they'd had time to let his words sink in. "If Teddy can't inherit or be named my heir for house Black, I would be honored if the sons of House Longbottom carried the mantle forward. At least until it can be returned to Teddy's bloodline."

"Harry you don't mean that-"

"I do. Though Draco would normally be next in line even with Azkaban on his records, I refuse to let that bastard destroy what Sirius gave his life to try and salvage and rebuild. Your eldest would obviously be the next Lord Longbottom but the second eldest would carry the Black title. And Luna assures me they'll only be minutes apart."

"Twins!"

"You're pregnant!"

Chaos erupted in the cottage by the sea.

For the first time in many long months, Harry's smile felt real.

**o0o**

It was days after his announcement to his friends, and the revelation of Luna's pregnancy, that Hermione came to him again for tea. Something had bothered her after she'd gone home and given it more thought.

He'd spoken exclusively of how he was going to pass on the titles for House Black, but never spoke of House Potter.

As he set the light meal in front of her with a fresh cup of hot tea for her, done just the way she liked, she asked him about it.

He settled down across from her at the old pine table and looked down at his food. "Well..." he said, his voice low and soft but still clear enough for her to hear him. "The current Head of House Potter is the son of a muggleborn. I was hoping the next could be as well."

"What?"

"I want any child you have to be part of my family. Your eldest child to be Lord or Lady Potter."

"And if I never have any?"

"Then you would be Lady Potter and free to pass it to whomever you wish." He was quiet as he pushed his food around on his plate.

"Harry I-"

"I don't need an answer right away. I want you to think about it because there's a lot involved and some really old, ancient magic that would make it possible. But it is a huge decision."

"Could you give me some information about it first? Something I can read through so I can make an informed decision?"

Harry's face brightened significantly at that. He was practically glowing at her response. "Of course! I'll send you a copy of everything the goblins sent me about it, and I've got a book from the Black Library about lineages and how different lines have transferred between families over the centuries."

**o0o**

At the next Wizengmont session after the conclusion of general business, re-evaluation of laws set during the war period was undertaken. While most were repealed there was one sticking point about inheritance. Without the support of the neutral families this one couldn't be fully repealed. But Harry was able to successfully use his fame and argue that the children of werewolves didn't choose to be what they were. Lycanthropy was a disease and children born with the disease were innocent and could not be charged with the burden of the mother or father's potential crimes and sins.

A compromise was reached. Teddy could inherit wealth but could never inherit the title and become Head of House. He could, however, carry a title usually reserved for pureblood squibs who found themselves the only surviving member of a House.

It was little consolation, but it was something more than what he'd had. House Steward was better than nothing. At least a descendant could inherit after three generations of Lupins.

The last order of surprise business Harry had sprung on the Wizengmont was the new Proxy for House Potter. Something that he knew would throw the entire establishment into pure chaos... but it could not be challenged. Not when it had the backing of Gringotts Goblins as well.

"I present before this esteemed body of our foremost lords and ladies of Magical Britain the Heir of House Potter, Miss Hermione Jane Granger-Potter"

The large double doors opened to reveal a young woman with long black hair, a bit wild and wavy as it and her new overpriced robes billowed behind her. A very smart ladies muggle skirt-suit beneath them. She wore a large, clunky ring bearing the Potter crest upon the middle finger of her left hand.

She still looked like the war heroine Hermione Granger, mostly. But she had gained a few inches in height. Her face was a little slimmer, and her eyes closer to hazel than they were brown. A new wand was tucked out of sight in the holster snugly on her wrist, hidden beneath her robes.

Minister Shacklebolt was impressed at Potter's bold move. The Chief Warlock was confused and many, even the Light families, were outraged at this turn of events. Many demanded charges of Line Theft, which with a well placed sonorous Harry immediately and angrily laid to rest.

"It is not Line Theft if a Head of House chooses to adopt another into their bloodline. You are all lucky I did not choose a muggle out of pure spite! I have one linked by blood already that I could and would inflict upon you if I were a less forgiving man!"

Hermione could see a few amused faces. Madame Longbottom was certainly doing her best to keep her expressions neutral. She was sure Neville would be hearing plenty of what was taking place in the chambers later.

**o0o**

Harry's final official act as the Head of House Black was the very public disowning and disinheriting of Narcissa and Draco. They saved his life, yes. And he had gained their agreement prior to their trials that his testimony in favor of them would fulfill his life debts to both of them.

When he disowned them and banished them from the House of Black - ensuring that none of Narcissa or Draco's lines would ever inherit the lordship and titles - Mistress Magic apparently approved, though only two people in Azkaban would ever know for certain, their screams mingling with those of their fellow prisoners as the family magics were violently ripped from their magical cores.

**o0o**

One month after the legendary Wizengmont session where Lord Potter threatened to subject the wizarding world to the whims of a muggle protected under house Potter, a one Dudley Dursley to be exact, if they didn't care for his choice of blood adopting a muggleborn to replace him, Harry finalized the transfer of titles for House Black.

"I am so sorry I could not do more for Teddy. He deserves to become Head of House when he's old enough."

Andromeda hugged him tightly, then after letting him go said, "You gave him a better chance. As Steward the bloodline does not end. His grandchildren will have the best claim and I trust the Longbottoms to ensure House Lupin will take it's proper place when it is time. You could not have chosen a better or more formidable ally for us to start with."

Before leaving for the evening, he gave her a large package and told her he wanted it hung over the floo where everyone could see it. He wanted it displayed with pride, but that she must open it after he left.

After putting her grandson to bed that night she retired to her bedroom and sat down to open the package. Inside was a large shield bearing a coat of arms she had never seen before.

A wolf molded and protruding from the metal, with a forest in relief. A large starburst above it's howling head. When she looked closer, wiping away her tears she found the engraving in Latin.

" _Verum meam ad perfectum_ ," she recited, brushing her fingers over the lettering, translating it in her head. _"I solemnly swear to be loyal and true."_

A small note, written in Harry's hand, explained the symbolism of the wolf for Remus and the star for the Blacks - for his mother Nymphadora. Information for her to pass on to Teddy when he was old enough to understand. It also stated that he had already filed the crest with the Ministry, using his fame to fast track approval and insertion into the official documentation on the Ancient and Noble families.

**o0o**

The day after the last of his duties as Lord Potter and Lord Black had been finalized and settled, his titles ready to be passed onward, Harry took his vows in the Department of Mysteries to become an Unspeakable.

Part of the mystery of the department was from the fact very few knew who truly worked there. The director of the department, and his immediate underlings knew everyone and their true identities. A security made possible by the numerous glamours and charms placed upon their robes and their vows.

Unless assigned by the director to the same project, no one knew what the others were working on save the director and his immediate underlings.

Many knew of Harry Potter becoming a recluse after the war ended. Everyone knew of the chaos he had unleashed in the Wizengmont and the resulting anarchy perpetuated by the new Lady Potter that had taken over as Head of House Potter. And anyone that knew the story of the Potters that fateful Halloween night in 1981 knew the maiden name of Mrs. Potter.

So it wasn't so much a surprise as it was a quiet understanding when Unspeakable Evans turned up in the department and requested to be assigned the Death Chamber for his research.

**o0o**

Harry had been working in the Department of Mysteries for three years before Fawkes arrived with a flash and a bang in the Death Chamber while he was working late one night.

The bird immediately combusted.

He took the poor bird home with him to the cottage by the sea.

**o0o**

Though he couldn't speak of his work and his theories and his projects, he never ran out of things to talk about with his friends and family.

He would advise Hermione on some things presented before the Wizengmont. He worked with the Goblins occasionally when strange bits and bobs turned up in confiscated vaults. This was more as a courtesy than a procedure or policy. Once they had learned Harry had become an Unspeakable they were rather pleased to share secrets with him as a Goblin Friend that he could not share with others.

It amused him to no end to learn their stunt in Gringotts had earned them the respect of the Goblin Nation for pointing out a flaw in their security. Though Hermione wasn't too pleased to learn the name they had bestowed upon her was _Hermione Dragonthief_. Ron's wasn't much better, as he had been named _Ronald Falsefaith_ after the Goblins had learned he had abandoned his friends and had been found to be drugging the fierce Lady Dragonthief.

This strange relationship with the Goblins led Harry to be allowed access to a rare collection of books that ultimately led him to a new avenue of research.

He had spent three years attempting to pull Sirius Black from the Veil. However after reading an account in a goblin book about twin sisters, one of whom was wrongfully sentenced to death through the Veil for her sister's crimes, emerged from the Veil again six months later with a much elder version of her betrothed.

He was allowed to take these books back to the Death Chamber to study them in secret.

**o0o**

Harry had spent three more years trying to figure out the secret of the case of the Cadence Sisters. Ultimately it led him to a portrait in Romania at the dragon reserve. Lord and Lady duBois were surprised to be met with someone who asked them of the Lady's sister Ursula Cadence and how it was that Lady duBois had escaped the Veil.

"You lose someone, son?" Lord duBois had asked him when Harry had asked how he saved Lady duBois from the Veil for the seventh time.

"A man I loved very much... My life ended that night. I just didn't realize it until much later."

Lord duBois was silent and so very still. For a few minutes Harry had believed that the portrait of the couple had gone dormant again, which wouldn't be too unexpected given the age of the thing.

"Was he innocent of the crimes they claimed he committed?"

"He wasn't pushed through because of a death sentence... but he was imprisoned for a time on false charges. We couldn't prove it, but he was innocent."

Again the man in the painting was silent and still, as if thinking. Then, when Harry thought his trip was now wasted... "I will help you if I can. First, I must know the circumstances in which this man passed into the Veil."

"Does the how matter?"

"It will determine which potion you will need or if indeed it is possible to save him. Please, begin."

Harry explained first how he met Sirius, and gave the story of how Pettigrew betrayed his parents but Sirius was blamed for it since it was important to understand the rest.

By the time he had finished, Lord duBois was angry. "Have you an animal form, Mr. Potter?"

"No. I tried to become an animagus but it didn't take."

The portrait hummed. "Does the line of Peverell survive?"

"Why? Is that important?"

"Only a lord of the House of Peverell can harness the magic of the Veil."

"I... I have the cloak," he said. "And the wand... My family history has Iolanthe Peverell marrying into the Potters. Maybe-"

"You will need to have yourself checked. You must be absolutely certain."

"But I can't carry a title anymore. I became an Unspeakable-"

"Royal lines are different. As long as you have the blood, the titles cannot be taken from you. I will help you in the only capacity I am able. But you will need to take this portrait with you. It is the only one we had made."

**o0o**

Harry had paid handsomely for the portrait of the founders of the Romanian Dragon Reserve. He kept it in his study and had a second one commissioned to hang in the potions lab he'd had built further out on his property, fearing an explosion would catch his house on fire.

Fawkes had delighted in the praise received from the two in the portrait, and often preening and trilling happily as they spoke to him.

His friends had asked him why the strange portrait, politely away from the framed pair of course. All he could tell them before his oaths kicked in was goblin secrets and research for work. Though the portrait themselves offered information about who they were - to an extent. Mostly they just talked about dragons with the few guests in Harry's home. Especially Luna and her children.

**o0o**

Seven years after the defeat of Voldemort found Harry in a terrible situation. His cottage by the sea was the most heavily warded and protected property in all of the British Isles. Even more heavily protected than Azkaban Prison and Hogwarts themselves.

It was carnage across the country. The dark mark shooting into the sky over and over. Muggleborn, half-blood, pureblood... It didn't matter anymore. Most of the light families had been wiped out. Andromeda had literally used the last of her strength to tie her emergency portkey to her grandson in the hopes that he made it out alive before she activated it.

The boy had arrived at the same time as the Longbottom twins and their heavily wounded mother.

With Fawkes at his side Harry tended to their injuries and ensured they rested.

It wasn't until Neville arrived a week later, missing an eye and dragging a twisted foot behind him that Harry learned what had started it all. He found his friend slumped over a body wrapped in a sheet just inside his property's wards.

They buried Hermione in the garden and put up a token headstone for her unborn son. So ended the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter.

Neville wouldn't speak about the horrors he had seen for a few days.

But when he did, Harry had to give him the strongest calming droughts he had on hand just to get him to stop shaking long enough to get the words out.

"Azkaban wasn't just broken into. It was leveled to the ground. We were in an emergency session because every single living criminal was set loose at once. And the dark mark spotted over the grounds. All the guards were Kissed and anyone too weak to be useful. But that's not the worst of it. A six year old showed up claiming House Gaunt. Harry..." His hands started shaking again. "Harry, it was Ginny's son."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded as Harry went to the sideboard to pour them both a shot of Ogden's Finest. He returned with the two shots and the bottle, handing one of the glasses to his friend and brother in all but blood. Neville immediately downed it, grimacing at the burn before Harry poured him another. "The entire Weasley family's wiped out. Every last child except Ginny and her devil spawn. She... She killed them herself."

"My God..."

"God had nothing to do with it, Harry," came a tired voice from the doorway. "The shade from the diary affected Ginny more than anyone realized. Even I didn't see it..."

"Don't blame yourself, Luna."

"I was her best friend! I'm a Seer! I should have-"

"Unspeakable Evans... Mr. Potter..." the until then silent portrait of the duBois couple said. Specifically Lord duBois. "Have you had the opportunity to have your bloodlines checked again?"

Three sets of eyes turned towards the portrait.

"Yes."

"And?"

"The line of Ignotus Peverell still lives."

"Send your friends to safety. There is a series of underground dwellings in Australia. They have not been used since our deaths. They are heavily warded using ancient magics older than even Merlin himself. They will be safe there to live and thrive."

"How will we get there?" Neville asked.

"Only a true son of Peverell can get through those wards, even with a phoenix. Once through, you can pass ownership to another. Once you've done this, return and I will help you with the final stages of your project."

**o0o**

Harry had filled vial after vial of memories and packed it with the pensieve. Memories of Teddy's parents and grandmother filled them. Memories of lessons at Hogwarts to help with the magical instruction of the children. At least, as best as he could.

Happy memories for his friends of their times together. Of their greatest triumphs and the good times after the war.

Once they were ready, Fawkes got them through the wards in the safe-house in Australia. Harry had taken the original portrait of the duBois couple and hung it up in the underground dwelling while his friends and the children explored the caverns that were to be their new home. It turned out the caverns were part of a larger underground network of wizards and witches. Mostly descended of squibs cast out from the British Isles on prison boats.

There was even an isolated branch of Gringotts Bank, where many of the goblins from England had been forced to flee. His status as a Goblin Friend eased things for Neville and Luna. It greased some wheels that allowed them to seamlessly integrate into this new society.

Unknown to Neville and Luna, Harry had created a new will, naming them his sole beneficiaries along with Teddy. New vaults were established, all of their combined wealth transferred immediately over before those in England could get their grubby hands on them.

Due to Australian Ministry laws being different, House Lupin was officially recognized and Harry had commissioned a replacement coat of arms for the boy to hang in his home.

**o0o**

The night before Harry left Australia for good Luna came to him and gave him an amulet for protection that she had inherited from her mother.

"When you see Sirius, tell him the truth."

"What?"

"You know what."

"How?"

She smiled and had kissed his cheek. "Be kind to yourself, Harry. Don't let your heart harden and remember that you are loved."

"But you won't be you. None of you will."

"We'll still be part of your family, Harry. So you'll go from our brother to a weird uncle. But you won't be alone. That's the main thing."

"Thank you Moonbeam," Harry said, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. He bowed his head to rest it on her shoulder, burying his face against her neck to hide the tears that threatened to spill over.

**o0o**

Once the last of his friends and family were settled into their new lives, and he had transferred control of the wards to Neville and Luna, Harry departed back to his cottage by the sea.

He worked tirelessly around the clock with the Lord and Lady duBois giving him guidance in his potion's lab until at last he turned to Fawkes. "Are you certain there is no other way?" he asked the portrait.

"You don't have an animagus form," Lord duBois said. "The Veil claims human souls, not animals. Taking the potion with the heart of a thestral protects the human soul inside the animal vessel. The phoenix variant for non-animagi is tricky and may not work. But... I'm confident if anyone can do this you can."

"What will it do to me?"

"From what I learned in my research, the single time it worked successfully my ancestor was permanently changed. Her body was destroyed entirely when she became the phoenix the first time. All charms and spells bound to her were destroyed and when she came through the Veil with her son she had a new body and became a phoenix animagus. Her magic was unparalleled for her time. Beyond that, I do not know what else it may do. Her journals did not go into great detail of the changes made to her person."

Harry nodded and drew a deep breath before looking at Fawkes again. "I won't do this unless you agree. You're my friend and I can't ask you to... You're the last of your kind..."

He swallowed thickly as the phoenix hopped across his desk, craning it's neck and brushed the top of it's head just below his chin. "I'm so sorry," he whispered as the bird sang softly as a sense of understanding and, surprisingly to Harry, forgiveness flooded through him.

He raised the Elder Wand, pressing the tip to the bird's chest and closed his eyes, a whispered _Avada Kedavra_ upon his lips and the bird went still.

Harry worked quickly, mechanically. He'd practiced for weeks on chickens and other birds for this exact purpose. Blood, feathers, and heart were harvested and preserved as the remains were destroyed to prevent anyone else from collecting the valuable ingredients he would be leaving behind him.

Lord duBois worked with him during the weeks it took for the Phoenix Burn potion to properly brew. They went over the plans repeatedly until Harry had them memorized. Until he could recite every line of his workbook back to the man in the painting word for word and letter by letter before he destroyed it. There must be no trace of what he was doing left behind, lest someone figure out what he's done and seek to follow him.

To that end, Harry had another plan. One that gave him cause to venture into the muggle world to seek out alternative weapons that the fire of a phoenix could set off as it passed through the threshold of the Veil.

All that remained was to get into the Department of Mysteries without the new regime finding out until it was too late.

**o0o**

Being the last Unspeakable had its advantages.

Being the Master of Death and a true blood Peverell had even more.

Combined with the stone and the wand, the cloak of Ignotus became truly impenetrable. Harry wore it like a second skin as he fought his way through the ministry towards his ultimate goal.

He went over the plan in his head as he took familiar hidden corridors known only to the Unspeakables. Snaking through the twists and turns as he silently killed from the shadows and behind tapestries and portraits. Reminding himself that there was no innocent left in the Ministry now. Not since the take over...

**o0o**

Harry worked quickly. He had to. It wouldn't take long before he would be caught. The potion sat heavy in his pocket. The Elder Wand was snapped enough to break the wood but not kill the core. He pulled it from the wood casing and wrapped it around the stone before swallowing it.

Never again would this world have in it the power of a Master of Death.

The cloak would burn with his body, ridding the last traces of the Deathly Hallows from existence.

He had just set the muggle explosives on the veil, connecting the two sets with a thin wire that his new form would trip as he passed through it.

All that was left was to drink the potion and welcome Death, if only temporarily, once again like an old friend.

"Potter!"

As the spells started to fly past, he tipped the potion back. He drained the bottle and swallowed the hot, thick liquid. It burned like firewhisky going down. He knew the moment it hit the resurrection stone in his gut. A spark of power. A fire within as the potion ate away the thestral hair wrapped around it and the fire of a phoenix melted the stone within him.

He felt the agony of a cruciatis, but it didn't matter now as the fire spread throughout his limbs. He really had to thank them as the dark spell served only to put his nervous system into overdrive, bringing on the change all the quicker.

A flash of green was the last he saw before his body went up in flames.

Instinct took over. The call of the Veil consumed him. With a flash and a bang, a phoenix flew into the Veil seconds before the stone structure was destroyed by the non-magical explosives. Sealing the tear into the land of the dead, at least in that world, forevermore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm assuming that if a phoenix willingly and consciously gives it's life, it can prevent itself from being reborn.
> 
> Hermione and Harry used a Blood Adoption potion/ritual to make her his sister and a legitimate heir to House Potter. Hermione's unborn son would have been a half-blood, his father being a lovely muggle from Canada. He'll never be mentioned, but his name was Kevin, and he took his wife's Potter name as a hyphenate when they married.


	2. The Veil

Years. Days. Hours.

He didn't know how much time passed in this place.

If it could be considered a place.

Wings beat against the void. Emerald green eyes stared out into the grey fog. Searching. Searching for a familiar face among the souls of the damned.

The sorrowful lament of a phoenix, a haunting melody that called out in the dark, pushed itself into even the most desolate corners of the world between worlds.

Harry hoped against hope that he would find that which he lost 9 years ago.

**o0o**

He heard voices. Voices in the darkness after so very long alone.

With ease he turned his flight towards the sound and found a familiar sight in the mist.

Though he could not speak human speech, he gave a mighty cry and beat his wings faster to close the distance. Words becoming phrases. Voices both familiar and strange.

"Not my brother you bitch!" came an angry howl as words became clearer as the visage of the Shrieking Shack became more defined.

He perched himself on the roof as he watched the battle below.

Souls fighting souls.

Then a face he recognized. Rage welled up inside him as he swooped down, instinct and anger taking over as he extended his talons.

She screamed, arms flailing about as she tried to fight the angry phoenix off as it clawed up her face.

A few more flashes of white light streaking through the grey and the contingent of dark souls were chased off.

The phoenix hopped along the fence, giving angry screeches at their backs before it made it's way back towards the shack. Back towards the voices that had drawn it through the fog.

**o0o**

He watched them curiously through the window, not wishing to intrude.

Though he trilled softly until one opened a window to let him in.

"Fawkes?" one of the men in the room said in surprise as he circled the room before settling on the headboard of a rather fine looking bed. A bed in which an unconscious man lay.

"Is that-"

The phoenix looked at the man who'd called him Fawkes before and if he could smile he would have.

He wished he had his old body. He wished he could wraps his arms around the man that had the same hair as he did. The same face and the same smile. But.... such as it was all he could do was hope that somehow they would know him even like this.

"I don't think that's Albus' bird," said one of the other men.

Harry bobbed his head in agreement before moving to perch upon James Potter's shoulder and settle in like the man was the perfect perch.

The sandy haired werewolf chuckled. "I think it likes you, Prongs."

Once again, Harry bobbed his head and trilled happily.

"Fascinating..." Remus said, stepping closer to have a better look at the bird. "May I?"

The bird craned its neck to let the man stroke the feathers atop his head. A contented trill before there was a gasp. "Look at the markings of the feathers. Just here, behind the right eye."

Harry would have groaned if he could, but had to settle for a hard glare before hopping off and going back to his perch on the bed.

It figured... even like this that bloody scar...

"Even like that," Remus said. "That bloody scar..."

Harry bobbed his head in agreement before flapping his wings in agitation and hopping down to sit on the chest of the man in the bed.

"James.. go get Lily. She needs to see this."

**o0o**

Harry did not know how much time passed.

There were a few more attempted attacks on the shack, which was a lot nicer inside than it was in his own time.

There was a living body inside. More of the malevolent spirits in the land of the dead wanted it for themselves. Wanted it as a way to return to the land of the living. Others merely wanted to torture the man.

"Can you change back?" Remus asked him one day after Harry had cried over Sirius's face in an attempt to use phoenix tears to wake him.

He shook his head when a knock came at the door of the bedroom. Remus raised his wand. Harry dug his talons into Sirius's shirt.

The door creaked open to show Lily Potter as she was when she had died. And another man that Harry recognized.

"I came as soon as I heard there was a bird spotted... Remarkable... Truly remarkable..."

"Who the hell are you?"

"Apologies," he said, then Lily cut in.

"Remus, this is Lord Alphonse duBois."

"Formerly Lord Julien Augustus Potter, at your service." The man bowed towards the phoenix rather than the werewolf. The man was smiling sadly, but there was a certain warmth in it. "And it seems I wasn't the only Potter with an unrelenting need to save people."

**o0o**

Lord duBois told his story to the Potters, the Lupins, and the man Harry now knew to be Regulus Black. Harry listened intently, learning more of the tale from the spirit of the man than he had learned from the portrait.

"There are two forms of the potion that allows a living human soul to enter and exit the Veil safely. I believe the version this young man used was chosen because he has no animagus form whereas I relied on my animagus form of a boar to allow me passage through this realm the first time."

Harry bobbed his head to indicate that this was the case.

**o0o**

They didn't want to let him go.

But they didn't have a choice once Lord duBois explained the dangers for Sirius if he remained. A living soul in the land of the dead could become trapped. It would twist and bend and mutate into something dark and wicked if left too long.

Harry remembered Fawkes and the burden he bore when bringing Ron, Ginny, Lockhart and himself out of the Chamber of Secrets. Carrying Sirius wouldn't be much more trouble than that.

He gripped him in his talons by the shoulders and hauled him into the air.

"Follow your instincts and you will find the way back through where this man belongs," Lord duBois said, then cautioned him. "Where you go, there is already one of you. You as you were when this man passed into the Veil. You must become someone else. Seek the help of the goblins. Tell them you need the help of a shield breaker. They will know then that you are from a place beyond their time."

**o0o**

With a flash and a bang, the Death Chamber saw the arrival of two men. One the wanted criminal Sirius Black. The other a naked young man wearing only a protective locket.

No one noticed them.

No one had studied the Veil.

Why would they? People only came into this chamber to execute those found guilty of heinous crimes.

So no one was around to notice that one man morphed into something more, and with the flash of phoenix apparition, they were gone, passing through the ministry wards with barely a blip...

The only ones to notice assumed it must be Albus using his favorite mode of travel from Hogwarts for another meeting with the minister now that the summer months had set in.

**o0o**

The moment the man arrived by phoenix the goblin wards shrieked at the intrusion. They had arrived in a windowless chamber reserved solely for the private use of Ragnok, the head of Gringotts. Or more specifically, those to whom he has given the title of Goblin Friend so that they need not put up with the common rabble of the main teller floor. Thus preserving their privacy and security.

The phoenix morphed into a man when the goblin warriors arrived, holding them at spear point.

"I am _Hadrian Vaultbreaker_ , Goblin Friend," Harry choked out as his naked form lay across Sirius's unconscious body. "I need Ragnok, a healer, and the services of a shield breaker."


	3. The Wills

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To prevent confusion, starting here and forwards
> 
> Harry = teenager Harry  
> Vaultbreaker, Hadrian, Lord Peverell, and any other name = Future/Alt!Harry

Harry had never been more grateful that most wizards were ignorant of the muggle world in all his life. It had afforded him a small measure of freedom he wouldn't have otherwise.

Having his invisibility cloak wasn't too bad either.

Cedric's murder hit him hard - of that he would never deny. It haunted him and shaped him in a way none of his friends could really understand. Not like Remus could. Not like Sirius could.

But as Harry rode the buses and the tube, riding aimlessly towards nowhere he knew Sirius wouldn't be able to understand anymore.

Because his only hope of escaping the hellhole that was the Dursley's was well and truly dead.

**o0o**

He half expected Dumbledore to find him first. After all, he knew the man had to have some sort of tracking spells or charms on him. He could think of no other way the old man could always seem to find him no matter how easily he was able to shake off the guards from the Order that attempted - and failed - to keep him prisoner at Number 4 Privet Drive.

What he wasn't expecting was to walk into his favorite little cafe at one of the smaller train stations and find a goblin sitting at his favorite table.

"Mr. Potter-"

"How are you even here?" he blurted out before thinking. A glance around told him there were a few others occupying tables and booths, but none nearby. And none seemed to give any thought to the squat little creature.

"We do not like to go out into the world Mr. Potter, but this is rather urgent business. Sit down."

Over the next half hour the goblin gave Harry a few documents. The waitress came by to take his order, and didn't seem at all put out by the hideous beastie at the table. Harry surmised the goblin, Skullcracker, was wearing a glamour of some sort that prevented the muggles from seeing him as he truly was.

In the end, Harry was more angry than he had been in Dumbledore's office when he lost control of his magic and broke many of the old man's little toys and trinkets.

"Sign here, Mr. Potter. And keep this document on your person. It is a portkey that, once activated at a specific time, will bring you straight to a special chamber within the London Branch. Upon arrival, you will ask for Boneshaker and he will work with you from there."

Harry had no problem signing the document, feeling a familiar sting without the tell-tail scratching into his skin. A blood quill. Green eyes glared at the goblin, who snarled back at him. "To ensure none can use your portkey but yourself, Mr. Potter. It is now bound to you by blood and magic. Anyone else it will send to our prisons for theft."

Well... that was new.

**o0o**

Harry kept the paper folded and with him at all times. He slept with his hands curled around it tightly as if it were some sacred talisman.

When it activated suddenly and without warning in the middle of his scrubbing the bathroom, he found himself arriving in a dark, windowless chamber with walls that seemed hewn straight into rock.

Goblins flooded the only door, spears drawn upon him as he frantically searched his pockets for the parchment.

What was the name? He could barely read in the flickering light of torches that had come to life when the goblins had arrived. Name... name....

"Boneshaker!" he exclaimed. "I'm Harry Potter and I have an appointment with Boneshaker!"

The goblins stood down. They spoke amongst one another in gobbledygook before one of their number stepped forward. "I am Bonethrasher. Boneshaker is my brother. I will take you to him, wizard."

**o0o**

When Harry arrived, still smelling slightly of bleach and bathroom cleaners, he was shocked by the collection of individuals gathered in the office. He looked around - some faces he knew. Others he did not.

"Harry!"

He looked up to see Neville across the room and decided that would be his best bet for answers.

"What's going on?"

"Dunno. Gran brought me to Ollivander's yesterday to replace my wand and this goblin came in-"

"Let me guess. Wanted your gran to come to the bank for some mysterious thing and-"

"It's not mysterious, Mr. Potter," said a formidable older woman in a large vulture hat. "The only connection any of us in this room have to one another is-"

"Everyone take your seats. Mr. Potter, near the front."

As those gathered took their seats, Harry found himself sandwiched between Remus and Neville, with Madame Longbottom on his friend's other side.

"You have all been called here for the closed reading of the last will and testament of James Charlus Potter and his wife Lily Potter nee Evans."

Harry gasped, turning to look at Remus who was just as shocked. The last the man knew the will was sealed by the Ministry and-

"I have before me the formal copy, written in the hand of both Lord and Lady Potter, signed with a blood quill to ensure security and privacy. This will was meant to be read immediately following the deaths of Lord and Lady Potter however Heir Potter could not be located."

Harry felt a hand on his left shoulder and glanced at Neville. His friend gave him a small nod of support, and squeezed some before letting his hand fall away.

"Lord Potter requested the use of a recording crystal in the event he and Lady Potter's deaths took place in a time when Heir Potter was very young. Let the records show that I will now unseal the protective case and activate the crystal."

The gathered waited as the goblin, Boneshaker, broke a seal on a small box and waved his hand over the contents. The box was then set on the desk before him where all could see. First, Harry saw a silvery mist, not unlike a weak Patronus shield form before there was a pulse from the crystal in the box and two silvery busts appeared.

Without thinking, Harry reached over towards Remus to find the man's hand readily accepting his own.

"So..." the voice of Harry's father, a voice he barely remembered and could only recall when close to a Dementor, began. "If you're seeing this then it means we're dead and Harry made it. There's two of these... just in case he didn't. The other one is now null and void and can be destroyed by the goblins in whatever way they see fit.

"Now to official business. I, Lord James Charlus Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, being of sound mind and body - to any marauders in the crowd... don't start."

This got a choked laugh from Remus and a weak smile from Harry.

"Do hereby bequeath the following..."

And so the bequests began. Harry tried to pay attention, but so far none of had anything to do with him. And then...

"Before we begin with Harry," the silvery man said solemnly. "If this crystal has not been updated since we have gone into hiding, our secret keeper for the house in Godric's Hollow was Peter Pettigrew, also called Wormtail. It was a measure of extra security suggested by Lily. Everyone would expect us to use Sirius. You never saw one of us without the other. But if he were ever captured, he could not tell anyone something he did not know, even under torture. So then if not Sirius, then the next on the list of those we trusted was Remus. So we skipped him and went to the least likely to be questioned. The one least likely to go into a battle and get captured."

The visage sighed and shook his head. "Though if you're hearing this part then it means this was our biggest mistake and we can only hope that Harry can forgive us for putting him in danger like that."

It was then his mother spoke. It wasn't the first time, as she'd had a couple of personal bequests to throw out there to others - one of them Neville's parents - but it was as if she were picking up where her husband could no longer go on without being angry.

"It is our desire for Harry to be raised in our world by his godfather, Sirius Orion Black. To be adopted using the Old Way, the Blood Adoption Potion Ritual, by the House of Black and protected until he is of age and can claim his proper title of Lord Potter. If for any reason he is unable to do so, he is to be raised by Frank and Alice Longbottom as Alice is his godmother. If Sirius is unable to, we wish for Harry to be adopted into House Longbottom and protected there, again until he is of age and can claim his title.

"There is a rather long list of other names and alternative housing in the written copy of our will that must be referred to in the event that both Sirius and the Longbottoms cannot meet our wishes for Harry."

His father took over from here now, seeming to be more composed than he had been before. "If for any reason our wishes are not carried out, then the responsible party will be named an enemy of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, and branded such until their death."

Unknown to anyone unless they were looking at the stern old woman seated in the third row and to the right of Harry, the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was frowning angrily.

She had told the old fool that they were the worst sort of muggles.

And now...

God help Albus Dumbledore. Because no one else, especially anyone in this room, now would.

"Harry... remember that you will always be loved and that we will always be with you wherever your life takes you. Even if you've been sorted Slytherin," the silvery ghost version of his mother said with a soft, sad smile before the images flickered out.

Silence reigned in the office of Boneshaker as the words of the Potters settled over the gathered before Boneshaker made the announcement that those he called upon will leave the chamber to receive their bequests. Those not called are to remain.

This left Remus, Harry, and a man who had remained in the back the entire time, quietly observing the proceedings.

"You will be given a meal and allowed to freshen up before we continue with business."

"What more business do we have today?" Remus asked cautiously.

"The reading of the will for Lord Sirius Orion Black. Since we have you both in one place already, it is best done today. There has been far too much meddling in the affairs of the goblins of late and I am reliably informed that the reason Mr. Potter has been unable to meet with us in regards to his accounts and inheritance is due to this very same meddling."

**o0o**

Harry was allowed to change into clean clothes that the goblins provided him while Remus transfigured them into something more fitting for a young man of nearly 16.

The three occupants of the office were given a light meal of cold-cut sandwiches and butterbeer.

"What I wouldn't give for some of Ogden's Finest about now," the third wheel said, mostly to himself. Remus chuckled.

"It certainly has been one of those days, hasn't it?" he said. "So how did you know the Potters?"

"It's more that I knew Sirius," he said, not making eye contact.

"I wasn't aware he had many friends. Unless you count the other inmates."

"Depends on the prison," the man said. "No man should be forced to live in a home he hates with those who hate him." He offered his hand first to Harry rather than Remus. Then to the werewolf. "Forgive me for not introducing myself. I know who you are, of course. Everyone does. But you've no idea who I am."

He smiled at them, almost mischievously in a way that reminded Remus of Lily right before she'd manage to pull one over on all the boys. Even the green eyes seemed to crinkle in a similar way. An Evans, then? Perhaps a distant relation of Harry's from his mother's side? If that were the case then the blood protections... maybe...

Once he'd shaken Remus's hand, he gave a small bow of the head - an informal version of a bow. "I am Lord Hadrian Evan Peverell of the Most Ancient and Royal House of Peverell," he said. "In a way, we are cousins, Mr. Potter."

"Call me Harry," the teen said.

"Did you say Peverell? The Peverell family died out and-"

"And the line continued through Iolanthe who married a lord of house Potter. A lord that was young Harry's ancestor. What is not documented is that Iolanthe had an older brother, a squib. The direct male line continued through him. I'm the third wizard born since." He shrugged in a very Harry-like way as the door opened and the goblin Boneshaker re-entered the office.

The three men settled down in chairs closer to the desk, with the third wheel taking Neville's old seat.

"Mr. Potter. Mr. Lupin," the goblin said as he set three boxes on the table. They recognized now the box that held a crystal. He then turned his attention to the third man. "Lord Peverell. I thank you for bringing this matter, and others, to the attention of Gringotts Bank. The matter we spoke of prior to the beginning of today's business will, of course, be taken care of this evening if you would like to attend."

"I thank you, Boneshaker. I would very much like to attend. Will I have a moment to speak before justice is served?"

"Normally no. However your standing with this bank and your unique situation will allow you a few parting words."

The man gave a wicked smile that the goblin returned before Remus cleared his throat. "Excuse me gentlemen..."

"Oh yes, of course. My apologies, Mr. Lupin, Harry," the man said sheepishly. "Let's get this over with."

Once again, the goblin stated that he had a written form of the Last Will and Testament, this time of Lord Sirius Black in his own hand and signed with a blood quill for security reasons. He repeated his information about the crystal and then broke the seal. Once activated, the silvery Patronus-like mist rose up and then, there was the smiling bust of Sirius Black.

"Ah, here we are then," came the gravelly voice. His face was thin - thinner than Harry had last seen him. It must have been recorded after he'd gotten out of prison, but before he'd settled in at Grimmauld Place.

"Let's make this quick then and piss everyone off. Most of the people I'd want to leave everything to are dead by now anyway so this should be short.

"I, Lord Sirius Orion Black, being of a mostly sound mind and my body, could be better after those idiots threw me into Azkaban, hereby state that the rat Peter Pettigrew was the Potter's secret keeper and Albus bloody Dumbledore knew it because he was the one who performed the Fidellis at Godric's Hollow. If you don't believe that, then slip him one of Snivellus's special Veritaserums, or one of the Goblin truth potions, because the arsehole's built up a tolerance to the one they use at the ministry for trials.

"Now, Moony, since you're the last Marauder standing you get what's in vault 813. You know what's in there so I don't need to explain. You also get the cottage in the Black Forest. We had some good memories there, once upon a time. You keep an eye on our pup for me. If you don't then Prongs and Bright Eyes are going to hound me for all eternity.

"Pup... You get everything else. I've missed twelve birthdays. You deserve it all and I wish I could do more for you. If I had my way I'd have snatched you out of school and gone on the run with you. Unfortunately the bastard has so many trackers on you they'd find us in a heartbeat and I'd be back in prison."

Harry drew a deep breath to steady himself, and felt a hand on each of his shoulders. He had expected Remus to offer comfort but this other man, this stranger... Even still, the comfort was welcome.

"Alright now the other bits. Moony, let's piss off a bunch of stuffy old bastards. I name Remus John Lupin, Werewolf, as the Proxy for House Black in the Wizengmont until my heir Harry James Potter turns seventeen and can take the seat for himself as Lord Black. I've had the goblins check the laws and while a werewolf and the children of can't inherit a seat and title, there's absolutely nothing that says they can't sit in Proxy. And in order for there to even be a law that says so they need the three Eternal Houses or four Royal Houses to do so and all the eternal lines are dead and there's only two Royal lines left. Maybe one. I need to check something in Australia."

Remus glanced at the man on the other side of Harry, who sat smirking at the glowing silvery bust of the ratty looking man before them.

"Additionally, right before doing this bloody thing I officially brought Andy back into the family and kicked out her sisters and that snotty little bastard of Abscissa’s just to make sure no one can dispute Harry's claim. The bastards won't know it until they try and claim their inheritance, so don’t publicize it. I want the ones that aren't locked up to get a nasty little surprise from the goblins.

"One last thing. The only person I trust to be Harry's magical guardian is Moony, but because of his status... well... there it is. So filed with this will is a set of papers to emancipate Harry. This gets him out of Dumbledore's clutches. All that's needed is Harry's signature and the goblin seal of approval. He'll be an adult in nearly every single way with the exception of voting rights on the Wizengmont... So, that's it. I'd best bugger off before the aurors figure out I'm hiding in the bank."

The silvery bust disappeared. The crystal went dormant and the three men sat in silence.

Boneshaker shuffled some papers around as Harry stood from his seat. "Where is it?"

"Where is what?"

"The papers. I want to sign them."

"There will be no need. They were filled in automatically when you were fourteen. The Ministry, in it's infinite incompetence, did it for you when your name was placed into and then subsequently selected by the Goblet of Fire for the Tri-Wizard Tournament," came a voice behind him. That of Lord Peverell.

"What?"

"The Ministry changed the rules, thus changing the magical contract that the goblet creates for the wizard or witch it selects. As the tournament was an adults only event, your selection then participation in the first event solidified your emancipation. You can now claim your Head of House for the Potter line, as well as House Black if you so desire."

Harry turned back to the goblin, who smiled wickedly at him.

"Today, we will handle House Potter business. Tomorrow, House Black. It is my understanding that your living situation is not a viable one, Mr. Potter. At the request of Lord Peverell, Director Ragnok has authorized me to offer you room and board while we settle your accounts and other business. Is this amenable to you?"

Harry eagerly nodded, then frowned. "What about my stuff?"

"Your personal belongings will be picked up by one of my staff and brought to your chambers for you."

"Thank you. I can't even begin to tell you how much this means to me."

"If Mr. Lupin would like to stay with you as well-"

"I can't. Tonight is-"

"Healer Bloodthorne has a well stocked supply of Wolfsbane that we are prepared to offer at no cost."

"No cost? That... It's really expensive and-"

"There's no catch," Lord Peverell said simply. "I have covered the price. The goblin variant of the potion is more effective and less damaging to the body. Today has been a long day for both of you and if I were in Harry's position I would want my family nearby. You are all he has left of his parents and of Sirius. It would be cruel to keep you apart any longer than necessary."

**o0o**

Harry sat in the floor of his bedroom. Well, what would be his bedroom for a few days at least. Scattered around him were his belongings. Two piles of clothing sat to one side. A large pile for disposal. And another, smaller pile for keep. Even that was temporary. The first opportunity he had, Harry intended to go buy new clothes that fit him properly.

A pile of broken quills and empty ink bottles were next to the discarded clothes pile. Another for old school work and broken trinkets.

The rest he sorted and placed back into his trunk, save for a few photographs. These were set on the small table provided next to his bed. Three photos in all. One of his parents that he always kept by his bed wherever he went. Another of his friends, standing outside the Hogwarts Express. This one was a Polaroid taken by Colin Creevy before the whole mess with the tournament started that year. Just hours before the Welcoming Feast that sealed his fate for a year that was meant to be uneventful for him.

The third was taken from his photo album that Hagrid had put together. A laughing Sirius with his arm slung around Remus's shoulders. The werewolf looked tired - as he always did - so Harry had surmised it must have been near the time of the full moon. The two were dressed in muggle clothes, but clearly it was Honeydukes in the background. They were so young and carefree. Not much older than Harry was now.

It was one of two photos he had of Sirius. The other was from his parents wedding day... but that one had Wormtail in it, too.

Harry settled into bed, finding it more comfortable than he'd expected it to be given that it was provided by goblins. Soon his breathing was shallow and his body relaxed into the most peaceful sleep he'd had in years.

**o0o**

Lord Peverell, or, Vaultbreaker as the goblins respectfully called him, stalked the inner corridors of Gringotts as he left what the Goblin Nation considered a courtroom. It was more akin to a Roman Colosseum. The further away he got, the less he could hear the heavy drum beat and the cheering for blood and justice.

He'd become a hard man after the war. He'd done horrific things in order to achieve his goal and drag Sirius out of the Veil. But he couldn't stomach more than what he felt necessary when it came to the sentencing and punishment of the two account managers that had wronged the houses of Potter and Black.

As he came upon the hospital caves, he sighed in relief. The last echos of the excitement were blocked out by the silencing wards placed for the benefit of the patients inside.

"Friend Vaultbreaker," a medi-witch said when he passed a desk. "Mr. Lupin accepted the Wolfsbane when it was brought to him."

He stopped and gave a small smile and a nod. "Good. Has Mr. Potter requested anything? Calming drought? Dreamless Sleep perhaps?"

"No sir."

"If he does, take the cost from my vault please. The two of them will want for nothing while they are here."

"Of course."

"Has Lord Black woken at all?"

"Some. Healer Bloodthorne is waking him twice a day to check his responses before putting him back into the healing coma. We have tried to get him to eat during these times but all he can manage is a nutritional potion and some water to stave off dehydration."

"Thank you, Healer Kincade. If I am needed, I will be sitting with him so do not hesitate to fetch me."

With that, he left her and easily navigated the corridors he had memorized since their arrival weeks ago. Soon he found himself in the room of Sirius Black. The room, like all rooms in the lower levels of this branch of the Goblin Nation, was hewn from rock. The lights were dim, but could be brightened easily with the wave of a hand or the flick of a wand. The walls were painted white rather than charmed. It lessened the amount of ambient magic that could affect the patients. A bed, two chairs, and three different tables of varied types adorned the stark room.

In the bed lay the man himself. Vaultbreaker pulled one of the chairs up to the bed and sat. He was silent for a long time, content with watching the man's chest rise and fall gently in sleep. After long moments of contemplation, he reached over and took the man's hand in his own, gently rubbing his thumb on the back of the hand. "Well, Padfoot... I had them read mom and dad's will today. And yours. I know you're not actually dead and all but... well... there were things in it that Harry and Remus needed to know and if I'd told it to them myself it would have been more suspicious." He sighed and raked a free hand through his crimson streaked black hair, exposing the pale scar that even when his body burned and a new one formed for him... that bloody scar would never leave him.

"A lot's happened the last few days. I found out the last actual Peverell died in Australia back in 1974. The third wizard born to a line of squibs. Murdered in his sleep under mysterious circumstances. There's so much more I need to tell you... Hopefully if all goes to plan I won't be around much in the next few weeks." He reached over and brushed the man's hair from his face, reveling in the innocent touch but not daring to do much else. After all, Harry may have changed and become an entirely new and different person, but this was still his godfather. While he was certain of his feelings there was still the fact that they would not be, could not be, returned. "I've got a meeting with the Hogwarts Board of Governors. I've timed it to be during an ICW committee meeting so a certain headmaster won't be available to stop it. I'm going above Dumbledore's head on this to secure the DADA position for myself so I can keep that sick bastard Slughorn out of the school."

He soon fell back into silence until the medi-witch, Healer Kincade, poked her head in to see if he were hungry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time-wise, Sirius and Alt!Harry arrived perhaps a week or two after Sirius fell into the Veil. To everyone else, he's still dead until the will is read for Harry and Remus, and have been working with the Goblins ever since their arrival.


	4. Securing Positions

Minerva McGonogall sat across the table with the board, eyeing the young man thoughtfully. Normally the Board met during the week. On a Monday. And under most circumstances only once a month and she did not attend.

"It was my understanding," she began. "That the Headmaster had appointed Professor Severus Snape to the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor."

"He did," stated Madame Marchbanks. "However we have not finalized this decision. And for good reason. Mr. Peverell here submitted his application and credentials two weeks ago, and is the first to follow proper procedure since Professor Babbage to do so. Had he not also sent his application and a copy of his credentials to the Board Clerk, we would never have known his interest in the position."

The two women stared at one another for a long moment before there came a slight cough from the man across the table. "Ladies, I fear I may have accidentally revealed something I had no intention nor idea was taking place." The two women, and the rest of the board gave him their attention. "When I asked at the Department of Magical Education and Instruction where I could apply for a teaching position at any school here in the country, I was told the process and followed it to the letter. As you can see from my paperwork, I am not from around here. I only wished to make sure I took all of the correct steps so that if offered an interview or position no one could say that I did anything untoward in order to get it."

He was laying it on quite thick, but knew the Board would eat it up. For one, half the members were not exactly fans of the headmaster so any opportunity to throw him under the proverbial bus was one they would gladly take with both hands. Some of the remaining, like Madame Marchbanks, were sticklers for proper procedure - especially after the debacle of Umbridge the year prior. They had to be seen doing something correctly, and getting a competent teacher into that position would do wonders for the image of not only the school, but the Board as well.

He smiled politely, and waited for the interview proper to begin.

As each question came, he answered honestly and truthfully. He had nothing to hide, really. He had also ensured that he was dressed in such a manner that his forearms were bare, showing he had no affiliation with the Dark Lord, but he was also well put together and professional looking despite his age.

He was confident by the end of the interview that he had landed the job, but had to wait for official confirmation.

**o0o**

When Lord Peverell received the summons to Hogwarts the first Tuesday after his interview, he knew he'd gotten the job.

Now it was only a matter of navigating the treacherous waters of Hogwarts around two masters of mind magics and the lies hidden within the millennia old stone walls.

He was quite surprised when it was Hagrid that had met him at the gates, though he supposed he shouldn't be since the man was the keeper of keys. The walk up to the castle proper was spent discussing various beasts the man tended as gamekeeper, and Lord Peverell's fascination with them. They were met at the castle by Filch.

The wizard and half-giant parted ways with the wizard declaring he'd love to see the Hogwarts herd of Thestrals some time, as it was the animal on his family's coat of arms after all.

The walk through the castle was quiet, save for the mutterings of the bitter old squib that led the way to the headmaster's office.

Soon he was alone to stare at the statue blocking the path. Rolling his eyes he sighed. "I have an appointment and was not given the password. Please move aside."

It did not move. Hadrian frowned and tried again, this time in parseltongue. He hadn't expected it to work, but considering the castle was at least partially built by Slytherin, it was worth a try to see if there was an override.

At this, the statue moved, and a little faster than usual Hadrian noted.

"Thank you," he said in English before going up. Before he could even knock on the door, he heard a familiar voice inside bidding him to enter. He opened the door and stepped inside with a polite smile, which only became obnoxiously brighter when he noticed whom else was in the office.

Oh that greasy git was angry. His face a mask, but his eyes told Peverell everything he needed to know.

There was a time in his life he was afraid to meet both these men eye to eye. That time had long passed when he had taken his oaths as an Unspeakable. Though they no longer bound him and if he so chose he could divulge every secret, not that he wanted to. Not that most of them were relevant to this time anyway. What it did do for him was boost his mental shielding, allowing him greater protection of his mind until he could master it himself on his own.

"Mr. Peverell, have a seat. Lemon drop? Tea?"

"No thank you," he said as he took his seat. "I had a rather large breakfast before I left home."

"Ah, and where is that for you, Mr. Peverell?"

"Originally a little place called Perfection, Australia. It's a small wizarding village in one of the oasis areas of the outback. Now I reside, for the time being, in a bed and breakfast off Diagon Alley. I believe it's attached to a pub called the Leaky Cauldron."

"Indeed it is," the Headmaster said. Hadrian smiled as he felt the probes at the edges of his awareness. He let them alone for now as the informal interrogation continued. "I see from your qualifications you have a mastery in curse breaking, yet I see no formal education in your resume."

"Yes, I was home schooled by a friend of the family, as I was left an orphan when my father died. Not that it would have mattered much as my father was a squib and my mother a muggle." He smiled patiently, starting to feel a harsher, but equally familiar mental probe coming from the second occupant of the room. "I have sat the Australian equivalent of your OWLs and NEWTs in all the basic subjects, with specialization in spell creation, warding, dark arts, defense against them, magical creature care, and curse breaking. I have an international mastery in dark arts, defense against, and curse breaking."

Then, without warning he mentally shunted them both out of his outer defenses, using the imagery of a large Grim. "I am also a master occlumens and do not appreciate uninvited guests into my mindscape. However, I will allow it to slide this time due to the nature of this country's current... difficulties. I am an unknown element to you and you do have the safety of the children of this school to think about. Especially given the past history of the position I have applied for."

"Are you self taught?"

"No. I trained under Master Irontrap of the Goblin Nation from the age of thirteen to the age of eighteen."

This earned him a scoff from the potions master.

The rest of the formalities were followed before he was dismissed, a Patronus sent to the deputy headmistress to show him to what would become his classroom, then his office and quarters. On the way she gave him instructions on when to arrive to the school to set up his classroom, and when the pre-term meetings for staff would be held.

He made a show of examining his classroom, office, and quarters as if he'd never seen them before and allowed her to lead him back to the gates. He thanked her, and asked that she pass along his thanks to the headmaster and Professor Snape as well before he departed down the hill towards Hogsmede.

**o0o**

Harry found himself with Remus back in Boneshaker's office. They were waiting for the third member of their unexpected party to arrive. When he did, he was smiling from ear to ear.

"May your profits rise to the level of the gods," he said in greeting to the old goblin.

"And may the blood of your enemies flow freely at your feet," the goblin replied as he accepted the hand of friendship that was offered to him. Harry and Remus sat dumbstruck by the friendly banter between man and goblin, as the two races were rarely ever cordial to one another let alone like this.

"Have I kept you waiting long? Only I've just come from a meeting at Hogwarts and it seems I may have upset a dungeon bat long before ever meeting him properly."

Harry laughed as Remus stifled a chuckle. "He didn't get the defense job, did he?"

"He certainly did not. Now," he said, clapping his hands and rubbing them together. "I believe we are all gathered to continue that nasty business from before. I'm sorry it's taken so long to get us back together like this. I do hope the pair of you have found your accommodations satisfactory."

"More than," Remus said. "The medical staff were very helpful during the full moon and the days after."

The man turned to Harry. "And you? Have you been sleeping well? Able to get your summer work done in peace and quiet for a change?"

"Oh yes, Lord Peverell-"

"Call me Evan. I'd say call me Hadrian but it's a form of Harry and that would just get awkward for us both."

"Alright, Evan," Harry said awkwardly.

"Good. If either of you have any problems, don't hesitate to let me know. As a Friend of the Goblin Nation, I am authorized to offer aid on behalf of the Nation if I deem it necessary. As we are family, even if only distant, it is my pleasure to offer this aid to you."

He sat, indicating the other two to retake their seats as Boneshaker began to set up for their day's business.

"What's that bowl for?"

"That is an ancient blood bowl," Hadrian said. "The goblins use it to trace bloodlines to ensure the correct heir receives their titles and inheritances. Ink, paper, even tapestries are meaningless. But blood? Blood can never lie. If you like I will go first to show you how it works."

Harry looked to Remus, who nodded. "Yes. You go first and then I'll do it."

Hadrian gave a nod to Boneshaker, who offered him the ancient blade. He stood and took the knife, turning so that Harry could see him and slashed his wand hand. "You always want to use blood from the wand hand. It's more potent since magic is channeled through it more often." He let the blood drip into the bowl. "A minimum of five drops." He offered his hand to Boneshaker, who healed it for him. The water in the bowl turned red with his blood, then black, then clear as a parchment floated to the top.

When it was removed, it was dry as a bone. In shining silver script, which darkened to a dull grey before turning black, was a family tree. Never had Hadrian been more relieved to have performed the blood adoption ritual with the blood vials found in the Peverell vaults than he was in this moment.

He showed the parchment to Harry. "This is my family tree and here," he said, pointing near the top. "Is where my ancestor and yours can be seen as brother and sister. The coloration here denotes squibs while this here denotes magicals."

Harry gave him the parchment back, and Hadrian just set it on the desk. "Please place that in my vault when we have finished."

"Of course, Lord Peverell." Boneshaker turned his attention to Harry. "Mr. Potter. If you will," he said, offering the knife.

Hesitantly Harry stood, taking the knife and staring at it. He switched hands, then pressed the blade to the palm of his wand hand. The cut itself didn't hurt, but the blood letting itself stung. He held his hand over the bowl and counted the drops that fell into it before offering his hand to be healed.

"Mr. Potter, place your hand just here. This is added security before you can claim your titles, as you are still technically under seventeen." The goblin guided his hand to a blank piece of parchment, placing the bloody palm down upon it. Then, and only then, did he heal the cut.

By the time that was finished and the blood cleaned away Harry was allowed to sit down.

"What was that about!"

"That, Mr. Lupin, was a medical scan. Far too often during dark times of wizard history we have had attempted Line Theft. When there is only one wizard or witch left of a bloodline we require a scan to ensure the individual is not under the influence of another through potions, magic, or other means. And it seems," Boneshaker said, glancing over the results that began to form using the blood Harry had left on the parchment. "That I was right in doing so. Numerous compulsion charms have been used on this boy. Tracking charms, which we knew about from the will of Lord Black. Illegal potions as well as severe curse damage over the course of-" He abruptly cut off, staring at the document before him before looking to Lord Peverell for confirmation.

"Horcrux," was all Boneshaker said to him. Lord Peverell nodded subtly before rising from his seat and taking two boxes from the table. "Under normal circumstances Mr. Potter we would refer to the lineage document first and foremost. However you are in need of these protections immediately. Please hold out your wand hand and repeat after me once each ring is upon your finger."

Peverell unsealed the first box, revealing a large garnet with the Potter crest engraved with gold inlay upon it. "Potter," he said to indicate which ring. He slipped it onto Harry's hand, the ring finger. It resized as Boneshaker spoke. "I, Harry James Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter," he intoned.

Harry repeated.

"Hereby claim Lordship and Head of House Potter by right of birth. So mote it be."

Harry repeated again. This time he felt a flare in his magic before it settled.

A second box was unsealed, this one revealing an ornate silver ring with a black onyx stone set in it. The Black crest carved into the stone but lacking any inlay.

"I, Lord Harry James Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter," Boneshaker intoned. Harry repeated. "Hereby claim my position as heir to Lord Sirius Orion Black, given to me of his own desire and will. So mote it be."

Harry repeated and felt a cold chill as his magic flared once again. This time the ring fought him, but after a few moments it settled once again.

Boneshaker scribbled something before dropping it into a box. It disappeared immediately. "I will have these documents brought to you in the Halls of Healing. Healer Kincade will fetch you. Healer Bloodthorne is waiting for your arrival."

"What's going on? Healers? Horcrux? I don't-"

"I'm with Harry. Why the sudden-"

"Boneshaker if I may?"

"Of course, Friend Vaultbreaker," the old goblin said. Hadrian took the medical report and handed it to Remus. The man looked it over and his mere frown became a scowl. He could feel the wolf clawing to be let out. Demanding justice be done for what was left of his pack. For his cub.

"Are you certain?"

"Blood never lies, Mr. Lupin," he said. "If we don't undo all of this damage now, the lines of Potter and Black end with Harry."

"Quit talking about me like I'm not even here!"

Hadrian sighed. "Lord Potter, have you ever wondered why you are connected to Tom Riddle in the manner that you are? It's not a simple curse scar that you bear. You have inside you what is called a Horcrux. Over time it has been gaining strength and leeching off your magic. To combat this someone has placed a block on your magical core, but this has also restricted your control and use of your own magic. Once the Horcrux has gained enough strength it will overcome you and turn you into a vessel for the one that put it there. Simply put, Lord Potter, if you were to kill him again he could then gain absolute control over your body and there is nothing you can do about it."

"But Dumbledore said if I learned Occlumency-"

"Occlumency cannot protect you from that which is literally inside your body. It must be removed before it kills you. Will you consent to treatment? This is a matter of life and death."

"Harry, this is up to you but looking at this list... you need to do this. If not for yourself, then for Sirius. He wouldn't want you to die just to prove a point."

Harry didn't say anything as Healer Kincade entered the room. Harry, with head bowed in defeat, followed. Hadrian nodded to Remus, indicating he should go with them. Once the door was closed back, Hadrian slumped into his seat.

"Thank you for lying about the test, by the way. He wouldn't have agreed otherwise."

"Only we know ourselves best. It is lucky, then, that he has himself to look after him."

Lord Peverell sighed. It was going to be a very long year.


	5. Reunions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reminder:  
> Harry = teenager Harry  
> Hadrian, Lord Peverell, Evan = future/Alt!Harry

Sirius Black woke screaming in an unfamiliar place with an unfamiliar goblin staring at him and an unfamiliar man holding his hand.

He yanked his hand away and scrambled up the bed. "Where am I? Where's Harry?! Where's that crazy bitch that cursed me!"

"Well that was unexpected," the goblin said placidly. "Lord Black, you are in the Halls of Healing, where Friend Vaultbreaker requested our aid to tend you as you slept."

"Is that you?" he snapped, looking at the green eyed man staring back at him with a smile.

The man nodded, brushing a bit of stray hair out of his face.

"What happened? Where's Harry? Is he alright?"

"Harry is fine," this man, Vaultbreaker, said. Sirius frowned. He recognized the voice... but he couldn't quite place from where. "Your cousin Bellatrix cast a blood freezing curse at you, causing you to trip into the Veil."

"The Veil? How-"

"That is, at this time, unimportant. What is important is that afterwards Harry faced Voldemort in the ministry atrium and exposed him to the public and the press. Everyone believes you to be dead, Lord Black."

"So how am I here?"

"I found you and brought you here for treatment. You have been in and out of a healing coma for weeks. They have woken you periodically to ensure you did not suffer head injury and to make sure your vital statistics were still good."

Sirius stared at the man, then turned his attention to the goblin. "And you? You're my healer then?"

"I am. In addition to the damage sustained from your fight at the Veil, I have flushed your system of mind altering potions, removed several tracking and compulsion charms, and for my own amusement watched as you barked in your sleep and moved your arms and legs like you were running around chasing your own tail."

This caused Vaultbreaker to smile and laugh, the emotions reaching his eyes. "I thank you, Bloodthorne, for all that you have done for us. Please take triple your standard fee from my secondary vault. You have helped to heal three ancient houses, and should be rewarded in kind."

"I thank you, Friend Vaultbreaker."

"When Harry's treatments are done, please notify Boneshaker to meet us in his recovery room." He smiled and crossed his wand arm across his chest, his hand balled into a fist as he bowed his head. "May your coffers overflow with endless gold."

"And may your enemies tremble in fear at the sound of your name," the goblin healer replied with a rather unsettling smile.

Once the two men were alone, the man called Vaultbreaker sighed and slouched in his seat. The action alone revealing that all the niceties and breeding had been for show and nothing more. "Let's get this over with," he said, green eyes turning back to the man on the bed. "This is going to get messy but... You know time travel is possible because in third year Hermione and I used a time turner to save you and a hippogriff named Buckbeak. The last time you saw me I looked entirely different so this will be hard to believe. I am Harry, your godson."

"Bullshit. Everyone knows Harry and his friend were the ones who saved me and stole the hippogriff."

Hadrian nodded with a sigh. Something... anything... Then it occurred to him... "I solemnly swear that I found you in the Black Library once. You were looking at the tapestry on the wall of your family. You told me that your cousin Andromeda had been burned off the wall by your mother after she married a muggleborn named Ted Tonks. And your mother also burned you from the wall after you ran away from home at 16 to live with the Potters, my father. Your animagus is a large black Grim and I call you Snuffles so that no one knows who I'm writing or talking to. Only Ron and Hermione know I call you that. Not even Remus knows."

"Legillimens then."

He shook his head. "You're still wearing the Black lordship ring. It protects you and your mind from those trying to enter it uninvited. Hence the compulsion charms and mind altering potions. You've been protected from everything else."

"If you are Harry, then who is getting treated by the goblins?"

"Also Harry. Well... a younger me. The moment I arrived here, dragging you out of the Veil with me, the timeline changed. Where... when I come from, you are dead. I killed Voldemort and won the war. But seven years later everything turned to dragon shit. It's really too much to explain sober."

Sirius sat eyeing him, still regarding him with great suspicion. Yes he knew time travel was possible, on a small scale. Time Turners could only go back so far though. Hours... a full day at the most. What the man beside him - Future Harry he supposed - claimed was that he had traveled years to reach this point. It was something that was theoretically impossible. Even then anyone who knew of Time Turners knew the risks of interacting with yourself. You couldn't be seen. But this man implies he's done both.

Hadrian watched the wheels turning as his godfather thought on, well, whatever it was he was thinking. Frowning, he sighed and shook his head. "Look, believe me or don't. If you want I'll swear an oath on my magic that everything I've said to you so far is the truth if that's what it takes. But I will do everything in my power to prevent the world I came from. You can either help me or stay out of my way. I will do whatever it takes to keep that child from turning into me. It's not too late for him."

Sirius listened, and did not doubt the conviction in the man's voice or words. At last, he offered his arm. "Swear it," he said. "If you are who you say you are, and you mean to protect my godson, then make an unbreakable vow. Right here, right now."

"We need an facilitator."

"Then get the nurse. Drag someone in from the hall. I don't care who. But you'll swear it to me."

Hadrian nodded, excusing himself long enough to find someone. When he returned, Healer Kincade was on his heels. "Alright, wand out," he said as he sat back down next to the hospital bed. He stuck his arm out, and Sirius grasped it.

"I, Lord Hadrian Evan Harry James Potter Peverell," he said, surprising the man who grasped his wrist. "Vow that everything I have told you thus far has been the truth as I know it."

"Do you vow to protect my godson, Harry James Potter, to the best of your ability even if it requires your death to do so?"

"I swear it," Hadrian said.

"Do you vow to act in my stead should I become incapable of performing my duties for his care?"

"I swear it."

Sirius was contemplative a moment before giving a firm nod. "Should Harry die in the course of this war and you do not, do you vow to avenge him and exact the swift justice of the houses of Potter and Black until either or both you and those responsible are dead?"

Hadrian stared him straight in the eye and without hesitation he nodded. "I swear on my life and my magic that I will uphold these vows and more," he said. Then Sirius nodded to the healer who cast finished weaving the spell of the Unbreakable Vow.

No longer needed, she left to return to her duties.

"I'm going to check on Harry's progress and then tend to a few things before tying up loose ends for now. Eat something, you look like you've been lying in a grave for months."

"Well according to you, I have been."

Hadrian laughed as he stood, making his way to the door. Though he did stop and turn back to get a look at the man in the bed. "Oh, and if anyone asks, you and I met while you were on the run in my fourth year. That's kind of what I implied to Harry and Remus when we met for your will reading."

"My what?!"

Hadrian's laughter could be heard through the honeycomb corridors of the Halls of Healing as he made his way towards the ritual chambers.

**o0o**

Harry came to with a mild headache and a groan. "Is it over yet?"

"It's over, cub," came the soft voice beside him. Remus sat up straighter, closing the book that had fallen to his chest as he'd dozed beside Harry's bed. He set it aside so he could get a better look at him. "The healers say you did well all things considered. They did find something else though. A sort of... stone thing buried in your chest that was being used to bind your magic to-"

The door opened and Healer Bloodthorne returned, followed by Lord Peverell and Boneshaker. "It was a relic stone. In the old days, when muggles and magicals lived together in tribes, they were used to bind slaves to masters. It prevented the slaves from turning their magic against their master and could shut down a magical core should the slave do so," the young man said. "It is very dark, very ancient magic. If the Dark Mark had a physical form, a relic stone would be it."

"Who would do such a thing! How could anyone do that to a child?!" Remus exclaimed as Harry groaned and muttered about the volume of the noise. As if chastised, Remus modulated his tone some. "How long had it been there?"

"Long before he returned to our world. My guess is that Harry might have just assumed it was another scar left by the Dursley family," Lord Peverell said. "But that is neither here nor there. Steps are being taken to deal with this. Until then, Boneshaker and I have a surprise for you. But you must keep it very quiet. Certain people must never know what you are about to see."

When the door opened next, the werewolf and his cub shouted in surprise. Two men met midway across the room and embraced tightly. The werewolf inhaling a scent of another pack member he thought lost to him forever. "How? We watched you-"

"You can't keep a wild dog like me down," he said, pulling away so he could go to Harry. "Oh pup..."

Lord Peverell stepped out of the room after giving Boneshaker a quiet word, leaving the once grieving small family to their tearful reunion.

**o0o**

In the days leading up to the start of term, Hadrian had received word from the goblins that the property he instructed his account manager to buy was bought, heavily warded, placed under Fidellis, and made unplottable. He was provided with a portkey and the address.

It was a little cottage by the sea for the two now former Order of the Phoenix members to hide in with Harry until time for him to return to school.

Hadrian on the other hand, spent the time in staff meetings at Hogwarts. Setting up his classroom, office, and quarters. As he traversed the castle, he noticed every room had at least one portrait in it. This unsettled him greatly as he tried to recall if their dorms had one in his youth as well.

Though he couldn't remember one being there, that didn't mean there wasn't one hiding behind a tapestry or one of the beds. The headboards did go up pretty far on the walls...

He shook his head to banish the thought as he refocused on the final staff meeting before the students were due to arrive the next day. He still had a few things left to do before the welcoming feast that would certainly put a few bees in someone's bonnets.

Which brings him to the current topic of discussion. An elbow to his arm from Madame Hooch brought his attention fully back to the round table and the expectant faces looking at him. He cast his mind back over the conversation he'd only half paid attention to and nodded. "Right. The class change... Well, I'd only mentioned it at my interview that I thought it was odd that no teacher lasts longer than a year in the post. Well, specifically Defense Against the Dark Arts and jokingly said no one would have to worry about a curse on the post if the post was eliminated and replaced with a new one. I guess they took it seriously," he said with a shrug. "I mean, DADA is just another name for Defensive Magical Arts anyway."

"Seeing as this was a decision imposed upon us at the last minute by the Board of Governors, it will be allowed for this year," Dumbledore said, and Hadrian just beamed at him as if daring the twinkle in the man's eye to try and probity probe his thoughts one more time.

Hadrian loved the word usage as well. Imposed - it made it sound like changing the name of a course was such a hardship. Really, it was a lot easier than attempting to break the curse on the position. A curse that he knew could and would only be broken when Voldemort was dead. And it wasn't even a curse really. It was a self-fulfilling prophecy. The man kept hiring people unfit for the position, or if not unfit then with something that would disqualify them rather quickly as it was in Professor Lupin's case.

Of course, not allowing the Board to do their job and give a full credential and background check to applicants could also have been a huge part of the problem as well. Conversation moved on and Hadrian only half-listened. Most of it didn't matter to him. Not really. None of the important duties at the school, he knew, were tied to his position given no one lasted long enough to make it worth instructing him on them. Not when it was something they'd have to do every year for the next new face to sit at the staff table.

Once the meeting was over and the staff free to go their separate ways, Hadrian decided to walk with the Headmaster.

"Is there something I can help you with, Hadrian?" the Headmaster asked as they neared his seventh floor office.

"Yes, actually," Hadrian said, picking up speed so he could keep pace. For an old man, Dumbledore was pretty light on his feet. "I know it's silly but I was hoping to have an opportunity to see your phoenix familiar if that's alright. I have a fascination, you see, with magical beasts and creatures and since it's widely known yours is the last in existence I couldn't possibly be so close without stopping to ask after it."

"Is that all?"

Hadrian brightened a bit more, laying it on rather thick. He needed to get to that bird. But if all else failed... he could make a play for the hat, if only to have a conversation to try and convince it to keep an eye on the office for him. "I must confess, I'm also fascinated by this sorting hat you lot have. I was also hoping it might be able to tell me what house I should have been placed in. Having been home schooled I never had the opportunity to go through that myself at any institution. It's a bit of a novelty to me."

The old man stroked his beard as they came to the gargoyle that guarded the entrance to his office. He seemed to consider the request a moment before nodding. "I have time free this evening after dinner. I cannot guarantee that Fawkes will be in a visiting mood, but Alistair, the hat you see, might like an intelligent conversation before he's pulled out and dusted off for another year."

He clapped his hands happily with a large, goofy grin on his face. "That would be absolutely delightful! Thank you very much for this small indulgence. I know having me sprung on you seemingly last minute wasn't exactly pleasant, but I certainly hope this is a small step in a fruitful working relationship between the pair of us."

"It is my hope as well."

With that he bid Dumbledore a good afternoon before setting about a few other important tasks for himself for the day.

**o0o**

He stared at himself in the mirror. Poking at the face that now belonged to him. It was similar, in some ways, to his old face. When he didn't use muggle make-up to conceal the thin white scar on his forehead, that cursed lightning bolt from hell, he was a little more recognizable.

He'd wished those green eyes had softened some. Or that he'd been given the cool, almost misty blue he had spotted in portraits deep in the Peverell vaults.

Instead he got the Peverell hair. Which was similar to the Potter hair, he supposed. Wild with a mind of it's own. If it were shorter it would be a rat's nest worse than it had been when he was a child. The inky black hair was broken up by dark reds and maroons streaking haphazardly through it. In just the right light, the reds were similar to the coloration of his other, more firery form.

Green eyes, brighter than his younger self's were, stared back at him from the mirror as he poked his cheek again. They weren't emeralds, not anymore. They were closer to the deadly green that haunted his nightmares. The same green flash he saw whenever Dementors were near.

He wondered, briefly, what his Patronus must look like now. By the time he had become an Unspeakable it no longer resembled Prongs, the stag of his father. It was instead a strange animal who's visage was not welcome and the meaning of it's visibility was quite tragic. The house elf Dobby had found him musing over the fact that as the Master of Death, his Patronus had become a thestral.

"Mister Harry Potter sir!"

He frowned as he turned away from his mirror to see the house elf that had come to fetch him for supper gaping at him. He'd forgotten all about Dobby - and realizing this sent a dagger straight to his heart as he remembered the brave elf's sacrifice to save him an his friends from Malfoy Manor.

Of course, of all the creatures in the world, it would be the most bizarre house elf he'd ever met that would recognize him for who he truly was.

He smiled and put a finger to his lips. "You can't tell a single soul, Dobby," he said, then a thought struck him. What better way to repay the debt he owed his strange little friend. Especially now that he was older, slightly wiser, and knew more about the species of little helpers than he had when he was 12.

The house elf was happily agreeing not to tell Mr. Harry Potter sir's secrets to anyone when Hadrian had to stop him from bouncing.

"Dobby... Dobby!"

"Yes Mr. Harry Potter sir?"

"I know you're happy here at Hogwarts, and you get paid and are a free elf, but how would you like to be my elf? You know that I am kind and would never mistreat you. And I will pay you handsomely for your service to me."

"You... you mean that? Mr. Harry Potter is the kindest and greatest of all the wizards and he wants his Dobby?"

Hadrian nodded. "I do want Dobby."

"Oh yes! Yes Mr. Harry Potter sir! Dobby would like that very much!"

Hadrian nodded and dropped down to one knee so that he could be a little closer to Dobby's level. He cut his wand hand with a minor wandless hex and offered it to Dobby.

The elf looked from his hand up to his face with wide eyes and an awed expression. "Mr. Harry Potter knows the Old Way?"

"I believe this is the only way for a royal house, right?"

"But the Potters are not-"

"And I am not a Potter anymore, Dobby. I am Harry Potter, but there is another, younger me. That is the Harry Potter now. And we will both protect him and keep him safe. Together."

The elf looked from the hand to his face again and nodded gravely. "Together, Master sir." Dobby cut one of his hands, a shallow superficial thing, and shook the wizard's hand. Their blood mingled briefly, sealing the pact between them with both it and magic.

"You are to take money from my trunk and buy bolts of fabric for your uniform in the colors of black, red, and silver. There is a crest on a parchment in the trunk with my money. You are to put that crest onto your uniforms. You now represent the Royal House of Peverell. You are not to tell anyone about who I really am. To this world and time I am Hadrian Evan Peverell. Around younger Harry and Mr. Remus Lupin, I am to be called Evan. When we are alone or with Sirius Black, you may call me Harry or Hadrian. I would prefer Hadrian since there are now two Harry Potters."

"Yes Master Hadrian sir."

"And Dobby?" he said before the elf could pop away. "How did you know? I don't look like myself anymore. Can't even use the same wand, either."

Dobby put his hand to his forehead in the space above his right eye as he smiled broadly at him. With a wink the crazed elf popped away.

Hadrian shook his head and sighed as he stood. He turned his attention back to the mirror and healed his hand before he reached for his muggle make-up. "Cheeky little shit," he said to himself as he began to cover up the scar on his head.

**o0o**

That evening after a some-what pleasant dinner (though it would have been much more pleasant had a certain potion's master not kept trying to bait him and been continuously ignored for it) Hadrian followed the headmaster up to his office.

"Thank you once again for this. I really appreciate it. And I'm so sorry we got off on the wrong foot during our first meeting. I'm not usually like that, as you've now well seen." He almost raked a hand through his hair a they ascended the spiral steps, but stopped himself before he could. Instead, his fingers twitched uselessly at his side.

"Not at all, Hadrian. You were right to be contrite with me, and your consideration for my reasoning is much appreciated. These students are under my care and as you've said yourself before, some of those I've hired in the past haven't always had their safety at heart. We must be vigilant in these dark times, for the children are our future and as such are most precious indeed."

Hadrian nodded his agreement to the sentiment only and not to the man who spoke them. As they stepped into the office, he now had the time to admire the whirligigs and do-dads that took up space on nearly every available surface. Some, he noticed, were dormant. Others still cracked and damaged from younger Harry's explosion of magic last term. He smiled as he took it all in, still wondering what much of these devices even did when a soft trilling caught his attention.

"Fawkes my dear you have a visitor."

His smile softened as he turned his attention towards the perch to the side of the headmaster's desk. Long strides took him to the old bird quickly and he held out his arm in offering.

Albus watched the young man as his own familiar hopped onto the offered arm without hesitation. A slight frown hid in the grayed whiskers on his face as the young man stroked the top of the bird's head. Fawkes cooed at him, a noise the bird only ever made for himself to show affection.

"It seems she likes you-"

"He," Hadrian corrected without thinking. "Fawkes is a male," he said absently before the bird flapped it's wings and puffed out it's chest with a loud, joy filled song. "And a very proud and handsome one at that."

"He doesn't usually take to others so quickly or so well," the old wizard said as he rounded the desk to take his seat.

Hadrian shrugged as he reached up to stroke with a finger, just below the bird's beak before gesturing him back towards his perch at the side of the desk. "It's all in how you approach them. Or any magical creature really. Magical creatures are very intelligent no matter if they're dark or light. Take the hippogriff. Like the phoenix they are very proud creatures. Very honorable. They can smell a lying sack of crap miles away and won't bow for just anyone." He shrugged and searched his pockets for a small bit of napkin he'd brought from dinner.

Opening it he revealed a bit of steak and offered it to the bird. Fawkes snatched it right out of his hand happily.

"Treat them like the intelligent and independent animals that they are and they'll never let you down." He wiped his hands on his jeans before clapping them together with a broad grin. "Now, where's this hat of yours? I can't wait to see where I might have been put!"

As Hadrian and the hat conversed silently at the bookshelf where the old tattered thing normally sat, looking awfully silly with a grown man wearing a hat meant to sit on much younger heads, Albus watched him from the corner of his eye as he pretended to sort through last minute papers on his desk.

The young man was... unpredictable. Self-sufficient and if the manner in which he'd gained the post was anything to go by, rather charming and cunning. Since the Board had forced a change for the post, eliminating the actual class and replacing it with a copy under a new name, he could not reliably count on Tom Riddle's curse to remove him from the school either. He needed Severus in that position in order to open the post for Potion's Master for Horace.

Albus stroked his beard as he sat back in thought, appearing to ponder one of the papers on his desk when the young man finished his conversation with the hat. He was all smiles and laughter as he levitated Alistair back to his place on the shelf.

"Well that was a very enlightening exercise in futility," he said at last when he'd turned to face his boss.

"So what house would you have been sorted into, Hadrian?"

"The batty old thing says I'd do well anywhere really. When I asked him to just pick one he said he couldn't, but if he absolutely had to he'd put me in Ravenclaw because I won't take simple no for an answer." Hadrian gave a small bow of his head. "I thank you very much for this. The charm work in the hat alone is a thing of beauty. And the spells used to animate it, to give it a personality... I've never seen anything like it! Truly the inventiveness and the creativity of the founders knew no limit. I greatly look forward to the feast tomorrow so I can watch this hat in action."

If Albus didn't know any better, he'd swear the young man's bright green eyes were twinkling at him...


	6. Settling In

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember:  
> Harry = teenage Harry  
> Professor Peverell, Lord Peverell, Hadrian, Evan, etc. = Future/AU Harry.

Harry frowned. He didn't want to be leaving the quiet cottage that had so quickly felt like home to him. He had his own room - not the smallest room in the house. There was a large garden with room for more. They could nip down to the sea whenever they wished. It was just a quick jog down the dirt path that took them out past the property wards. Padfoot and Moony had the run of a forest nearby.

There was even room for a shed, and Harry easily could see himself building one and storing brooms and Quidditch gear inside.

"Do I really have to go back? I've got my OWLs. I don't really need my NEWTs, do I?"

He felt a firm hand on his shoulder, and turned his head to look up at Remus. "Yes, Harry, you do. Especially if you wanted to get into the Auror program."

"Honestly, I think they should give the boy a pass. He's fought Lord Snakeface and won four... no, five times now. Killed him three of those times."

"Technically I killed a teacher and a memory," Harry said, correcting Sirius. "I also indirectly resurrected him once before fighting him, too. Don't forget that one."

His godfather waved it off from his chair by the window. "Technicalities, Harry," he said with a smirk. "But if I was the head Auror, I'd count myself lucky to snatch you up for the program as you are right now. No one has more experience than you in the dark wizard fighting department."

"I'd rather be a healer," Harry muttered under his breath. The hand on his shoulder squeezed just a little in reassurance.

"You'd need your NEWTs for Healer training, too. Especially potions."

"Fat chance of that happening with Snape still there," the teen lamented. Remus checked his watch and shook his head.

"Come on, cub. You'll be late for the train."

"What if... What if someone tries to slip me another love potion?"

Sirius stood up from his chair and crossed the sitting room to pull Harry into a tight hug before he let go and took the teen's hand. The one with his Lordship and Heir rings. He brushed his fingers over them briefly to call the boy's attention to them. "You wear the ring of House Potter's lord. And the ring of my heir. The Lords' magic is stronger than the heir's, but even so both will protect you from spells cast with ill intent. Depending on the strength of the caster and if it's an unforgivable. The heir ring can detect poisons and potions, while the Potter's lordship ring will render them ineffective," he said, clasping the teen's hand between both of his own.

Remus nodded his agreement with the assessment. "You see, Harry. Even though Sirius can't be with you, or your father, they're still protecting you from afar. Even if that stupid bint tries something it won't work on you as long as you keep those on."

Harry nodded and swallowed before taking a deep and calming breath.

"Besides," Sirius added. "If you run into any trouble, we've got our friend Lord Peverell in the castle teaching that cursed class. So at least for this year you've got someone watching your back for us."

"And you trust him?" Harry asked. "I appreciate all the help he's given us so far, but honestly Moony and I just met him. To us he's just some bloke you met in Australia while on the run from the Ministry."

Sirius stopped to consider his godson's question and statement. He placed both his hands on the boy's shoulders. Stormy blue-grey eyes looked down into deep emerald green ones. If not for the man the boy had grown up to become in another lifetime - the hard, battle weary and tired soldier - he would not be standing here in this cottage by the sea with his best friend and his godson. He would still be floating in that cold, dank world between worlds. That void beyond the Veil.

So yes, he did trust the man. Because he trusted the boy in front of him. Cared a great deal for him, as the man he could become cared about the old convict enough to sacrifice everything, even himself. "Harry, I would trust that man with my life. Have trusted him, though I didn't know it at the time. Please, if you need help with anything at all, you call us on the mirror or you go to your new professor. He's sworn to me personally that he will watch over you in my stead."

"He did?" It was Remus, rather than Harry that had asked, surprise evident in his voice.

Sirius nodded. "Now. You two need to get going or you'll be late for the train."

**o0o**

He was standing on his desk in the classroom, using the unique angle to do some last minute adjustments to his classroom when he heard a steady knock upon his classroom door. "Enter!" he called out as he used his wand, thirteen and a half inches of Elder with hair of a Grim as the core, to raise up a few muggle inspired diagrams and sticking them to the stone walls.

"Mr. Peverell!" Minerva exclaimed in admonishment when she'd entered and seen him standing on his desk, waving his wand around like some deranged musical director. "Feet on the floor if you please!"

He gave her an impish grin that reminded her far too much of some of her past students - troublemakers all - before he climbed down and tucked his wand back into its holster. "How can I help you today Minerva?" he asked chipperly.

Far too chipper for this September 1st in her opinion.

"I came to see how you were settling in," she said. "Most in your position find the task of surviving this post rather daunting."

"Well," he said, then raised an imaginary glass. "Here's to surviving the DADA curse. Let's hope the name change works because I'd rather not have to update my resume for a very long time." He gave a small laugh before wandlessly summoning his robes from a hook on the wall near his office door. He shrugged them on over his muggle attire, looking quite eccentric compared to most of predecessors.

A shudder went through her as she recalled the hideous pink cardigans that occasionally haunted her nightmares this past summer. He offered his arm to her politely with a soft expression on his usually open and smiling face. "My Lady," he said. "I believe it's nearly time for the feast. It would be my honor to escort you safely to where you're needed to be tonight."

Her old cheeks warmed briefly as she pressed her lips into a tight line. "Mr. Peverell-"

"Hadrian please. We're colleagues. And honestly given this castle's more recent history it would put this young heart at ease to know you've made it safely back from my classroom. Trolls, basilisks, Death Eaters in disguise and large pink toads. Who knows what else prowling these old halls."

"Nothing I couldn't handle, I assure you Mr. P- Hadrian."

He gave a small nod, but did not lower his offered arm. "Even still. I'd enjoy the conversation. You seem to be the only one so far with a solid head on her shoulders. And if I get offered a lemon drop one more bloody time I think I might just quit and go running for the forest."

Her shoulders shook, just barely, with a repressed chuckle. "You're a very strange young man," she said as she stepped closer to take his offered arm.

The conversation through the castle was less strange and more pleasant than she had anticipated. It ranged from lesson planning to Quidditch. From there it took a sharp turn at spell crafting and theories behind the magic of wizarding portraits.

When they had reached the entrance hall, he thanked her for her company and left her just before the first few students started trickling in.

Hadrian smiled all the way until he reached the staff entrance to the great hall. His hand on the door, he drew a deep breath and willed his face into a neutral mask before stepping through and joining the remainder of the staff at the table.

**o0o**

With the Hat's song over, sounding more ominous than usual even for the last few years, and with the sorting of the firsties done, Harry was just about to dig into the food that had appeared on the table when he felt a sharp elbow to his side.

"I don't think Snape got the job again," Ron said, indicating the new face at the staff table. Harry knew who he'd see, having met the man already over the summer. "And the bloke doesn't look like another ministry toadie either."

"He's probably muggleborn. Look at the way he's dressed. He looks really uncomfortable in robes," Hermione suggested.

Neville shrugged. "Or he's foreign. A lot of places don't wear robes so they stick out less when they visit the muggle world. My uncle Algie says in America they only ever wear robes for formal stuff. Like a full gathering of the magical senate and Yule Balls. That sort of thing," he said.

"All I know," Harry said as he snatched a roll from one of the platters and added it to his modest meal. "Is that Snape is going to make potions hell for all of us."

His friends all agreed and dug into their meals, shifting conversation to lighter topics.

As the feast wore on, and friends stopped by to chat about their summers, for the first time at a welcome feast Harry pushed his plate away after having a bit of treacle tart for dessert. His stomach full, but not uncomfortably so from gorging himself. He was happy, not dreading the start of classes nor a sleepless night of terror and mayhem that he was helpless to stop.

His scar didn't hurt - and hadn't hurt since he'd left the care of the goblins. His magic felt... warm and free for the first time he could remember. Absently he rubbed at his chest and smiled to himself before turning at the sound of the headmaster's voice, booming and boosted from the magic of his wand at his throat.

"First off a few announcements. For those who are joining us for the first time, and as a reminder to our returning students, the Forbidden Forest is exactly that. Forbidden. Also, you will also notice we are host to a small contingent of Aurors who will be patrolling the outer grounds of the castle and Hogsmede, especially on the weekends. They are here for our protection in these dark times."

Harry couldn't help but scoff at the last statement. "More like keep a watch one me," he muttered under his breath, not realizing Hermione at his side heard him.

Dumbledore prattled on as Ron stuffed his mouth throughout and Harry only half listened until the usual announcements had ended. His full attention cutting back in only half-way through a statement about a-

"-newest change to the curriculum. The class known as Defense Against the Dark Arts has been discontinued at the request of the Board of Governors. In it's place will be Defensive Magical Arts. This change will have no effect on your OWLs or NEWTs, as it is purely a trial year for this course."

Harry didn't miss the smug look that crossed the headmaster's face, nor the glare at his back from the still unnamed staff member at the table. A giggle caught his attention as Ginny leaned across the table from her place by Neville. "Harry... Psst. Harry."

"What?"

"Glaring like that the new teacher looks kind of like you."

Neville snorted. "He does, doesn't he?"

And the headmaster droned on. "Many of you will notice that once again we have a new face behind me. Let me to introduce the newest member of staff, Hadrian Peverell. Professor Peverell has come to us highly recommended from Australia, and has agreed to take up the challenging post for this new course, and we wish him all the luck."

Harry clapped enthusiastically, a little too much so. Hermione gave him an odd look, so he leaned in a little so she could hear him over the noise o the great hall. "I'll explain later. It's part of what I didn't want to talk about on the train," he whispered to her. She nodded her understanding.

Just when people thought it was all over and the headmaster was through, the man continued standing there as the clapping died down. When silence reigned once more, the man spoke again. The glare on Professor Peverell's face that had disappeared with the announcement of his position at the school returned and had morphed into a fully fledged scowl at the man's back. One that could match Snape's in it's bitterness. Briefly, Harry wondered what the man might be thinking. Clearly there was no love lost between the two, even if the professor could put on a cheery disposition.

After all, in helping Harry over the summer he had seen the long list on the parchment from the goblins with his own two eyes...

Harry shook his head as he waited for Dumbledore to finish for the night.

"Now as you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival tonight. And you deserve to know why." He paused. "Once there was a young man who like you sat in this very hall. Walked this castle's corridors. Stepped under it's roof. He seemed to all the world a student like any other. His name? Tom Riddle."

At this the whispers began. Hushed and ominous with many wondering who Tom Riddle was, or why the headmaster would be mentioning him now.

"Today of course he is known all over the world by another name, which is why as I stand looking out upon you all tonight I am reminded of a sobering fact. Every day, every hour, this very minute perhaps dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls." The Headmaster paused, and behind him Professor Peverell, now on the opposite side of this little exchange from a lifetime ago, could at last see the subtle clue in the old man's posture. The slight turn of the head towards the right, towards the Slytherin table.

Rage burned in his gut as he realized the old bastard already knew about Draco and the boy's mission for that year. This entire speech... it was meant for Malfoy. Telling the little bastard he knew exactly what path the boy was on, and that he knew he was just a weapon.

"In the end their greatest weapon is you."

A means to an end.

"Just something to think about. Now off to bed, pip pip," Dumbledore finished, sounding just a mite more cheerful than his foreboding speech had led on.

Harry studied the newest professor's face a moment before he heard Ron beside him. "Well, that was cheerful."

Hermione had already risen, taking their friend by the arm. "Come on Ronald. Duties." She turned her face towards Harry with a warm smile. "We'll see back at the common room?" It was more question than statement.

Harry nodded, taking one more glance up towards the head table before turning away.

**o0o**

Back in his rooms that night, Hadrian could barely contain his rage.

"The bastard knew! He knew right from the start!"

A vase broke, spilling water and flowers into the floor. Dobby popped in, cleaned it up, replaced the vase, and popped back out before his master could even notice it had been done.

All this time he had worked under the assumption that after the attempt that landed Katie Bell in the hospital the headmaster had started to figure it out. He had hoped that was how it had gone. But now...

And there was only one reason he would know so soon. So long before the first attempt was ever made.

"Snape," Hadrian snarled as he wadded up his teaching robe and threw it towards the wardrobe before he flung himself petulantly into a lumpy chair by his fireplace. "That two faced.... well..." he muttered to himself. "what more can you expect from a double agent anyway..." He let his anger and his rage wind down before he sighed. This new piece of information didn't change his plans any. Not really.

It was just infuriating that the first time around when he'd tried to tell everyone he knew Draco was up to something, and that he was for sure a Death Eater, no one would listen to him. The one person that needed to know already knew and did nothing to at least let him know that he wasn't going crazy after all.

"Dobby," he said after a while, his anger finally subsiding more to a smoldering annoyance. The house elf popped in for longer than a few moments and took off his jaunty little hat to give a low bow. "Oh that's a nice little uniform you've made for yourself, my little friend."

"Master likes his Dobby's uniform?"

"I don't like it, I love it. The many pockets suit you well. And you did a wonderful job with the crest." He smiled, letting the presence of his little friend cool his temper further. "I have a few jobs for you. First, I want you to go to the Come and Go room, the one where many lost things are. I need you to find a broken cabinet that looks like one in Borgin and Burkes. Second, I want you to find in that same room a special tiara. There is a statue in the Ravenclaw common room that has a replica of the tiara. In the Come and Go room you will find one identical to it. Bring it to me."

"What does Dobby do with the broken cabinet Master Hadrian sir?"

"Take it deep into the forbidden forest and set it on fire. Turn it to ash. Take the ashes and dump them in the lake."

"Dobby will do it."

"Third, there's a letter for Sirius on my desk. Could you please take it to him. I don't want to use an owl as it may be intercepted by the headmaster or the Order."

With a cheerful smile and a pop Dobby was gone about his tasks and Hadrian was left to his thoughts, the dancing flames of the fire for company.

**o0o**

The three friends sat in their usual seats by the fire. Ron and Harry playing a game of wizard's chess. Ginny and Neville sat nearby talking with Hermione about their summers.

"What about you, Harry?" Ginny asked, turning some towards his chair. "We missed you at the Burrow this year."

"This and that," he said, glancing at Neville before turning his attention back to the game. "Did some gardening for Aunt Petunia. Learned to make a beef wellington. That was kind of nice. It took my mind off things for a while." He shrugged, not sure if he should tell his friends what had really happened. Neville, thankfully, mentioned nothing of his parents will reading. "I needed to keep myself busy this summer. Especially after Sirius..." he let his words trail off, not giving anything away as to the reality of that particular situation. Let alone what they'd discovered later...

Dropping the hint about Sirius, leading the small group to believe he was still grieving the loss of his godfather, his friends moved on to other topics. As he played another few rounds of losing to Ron at chess, he could occasionally feel the questioning glances from Hermione and surprisingly Neville.

As the night wore on, eventually Ginny gave up trying to win Harry's attention and the boy himself tipped his King to end the current game. "It's late. We should probably get to bed before Hermione starts hounding us about early morning classes."

"I would not!"

"Yes you would," Ron exclaimed quickly. "All last week you kept waking me and Ginny up at the crack of dawn to make sure we were ready for school! It was murder!"

Harry laughed, clapping a hand on Ron's shoulder with a forced grin. "Come on mate. The sooner you get to bed, the sooner you can get to breakfast." He glanced at Hermione briefly, giving a small nod towards the fireplace before he and Neville left to climb the stairs to the boy's dorm and join their sleeping roommates.

After a few laughs, and some shoves at the sinks as the three boys prepared for bed, Harry lay behind the heavy curtains of his four poster bed, listening for the deep snores of the redhead before he snuck back out of his bed. Feeling eyes on his back when he reached the door to the stairs, he turned to see Neville watching him. He shrugged back and headed out the door.

The other boy turned over as Harry went back down to the common room. Hermione sat wrapped in a warm robe by the fire waiting for him on the sofa.

"What's this all about then, Harry? What do you know and where did you go this summer? Everyone was in a panic when you disappeared from your relatives. And then you turn up at the train with Professor Lupin and-"

"Slow down, 'Mione. One thing at a time," he said. "Can you uh... a few charms? This is... personal. I don't want it getting out. At least not yet."

His friend nodded, raising her wand to cast what privacy and silencing charms she knew before putting it away and turning to face her friend, pulling her legs up and adjusting her robe for propriety. "Alright Harry... What's going on? You actually look well rested for a change. And you didn't eat yourself sick at dinner. And your pajamas look... well... they fit for one thing."

"Well, let's start at the beginning," he said, pulling his legs up to his chest so he could wrap his arms around his knees comfortably. "The Order had a bunch of people guarding my aunt's house and I was still grieving Sirius..."

Harry spent a great deal of the night telling her about how he would slip his minders using muggle transportation, which got a muffled laugh and a head-shake from her. The goblin at the train station cafe was met with astonishment before she learned why it had come out to find Harry in person. Then she was angry.

Hearing about the will reading for his parents had her in tears, just as Harry had tried not to cry again. Hearing his parents voices, even if in a recording, telling him that they loved him and that so many other people were meant to take him in and raise him... He'd had to wipe at his face quite a bit. When she heard about Harry meeting Professor Peverell between listening to his parents' will and Sirius’s...

"And neither of them left him anything?"

"Well, my dad didn't even know about him. Everyone thinks that the Peverell family died out. But it turns out the direct line was squibs all along."

"I always knew it was dumb to mistreat and cast out the non-magical children. I've thought about trying to find out how much it would cost to get myself tested. I have a theory about muggleborn children and-"

"And do you want to hear the rest or not, Mione?"

She rolled her eyes, but gave him a nod as she reached out to rest her hand on his arm briefly.

And so she listened, biting her tongue as Harry continued his tale. He'd nearly had to jump her when he got to the part of the medical test that was done, not knowing if she was going to storm out of the tower to tear down Dumbledore's office door or run up the stairs and have a go at Ginny for the love potions. "It's done now," Harry had said to calm her back down. "It's over with. Now that I know about it, I can protect myself against it. And that thing..." Harry rubbed absently at his chest again. The weight that had been there, the weight he'd never noticed until days into his recovery as his magic suddenly spiked and leveled out, leaving him feeling almost euphoric like after he'd cast Prongs to save his past self and Sirius... the feeling that this time didn't leave him.

"I promise, I'll explain more about the stone thing they took out another time. It will take a while. But most of all, look." He reached up to brush his fringe away from his scar. Hermione leaned closer to get a better look. "It's fading already."

"And you haven't- I mean, there hasn't been any-"

"Not a one. Not a single nightmare since. The connection between me and Voldemort's been severed and I've never felt better."

"You look better."

"Thanks. Remus has been taking very good care of me, mostly. Three days out of the month he's a useless layabout though. I can't really tell you much about where I've been. Just that it's nice and I've never felt safer. I wasn't there for long but it already feels more like home than even Hogwarts ever has. I'll ask Remus if you can come home with me for Christmas. I think you'd really like it there, and we've got room to spare."

"It sounds like you've been really happy with the way things have turned out, all things considered."

He sighed, knowing he should tell her about the miracle that had happened after the goblins had worked on him... but his godfather and his honorary uncle had both stressed no one could know that Sirius was alive. Not yet. Not until Professor Peverell had told them it was safe for him again.

The two friends talked a little more, with Harry first telling her about his new status as a Lord of one house and heir of another so that she could see through the charms Remus had placed on his rings. She admired the stones, commenting on the craftsmanship that must have gone into them, especially the details of the coats of arms.

She hugged her friend tightly after they took down the privacy and silencing wards, then headed to bed.

When Harry slipped back into the dorm room he shared with his year mates, he was relived to find all of them asleep.

**o0o**

Harry and Ron were both thrilled that they didn't have the OWL scores necessary to get into Potions with Snape. Neither one wanted to be a fly on the wall for that first class.

"Harry, you need potions to be an Auror. It's completely unreasonable for Professor Snape to exclude anyone with an Exceeds Expectations score!" That had been Hermione's main argument at breakfast after they'd gotten their time tables. "I'll do independent study," Harry had replied. "It's what the home schooled kids do. How else do you think they'd get their OWLs and NEWTs done?"

"I... hadn't really thought of that."

"Sure I could do the tests here for free, but come on do you really think I'd learn anything from Snape of all people? If I haven't learned anything yet, I won't learn anything more by being in his class."

Ron agreed with him whole heartedly. "The twins are handy with potions. We could get them to tutor us over the breaks and the summer. My mom, too now that I think about it. She's always brewing up healing potions and sleeping draughts for us since the ingredients are cheaper than the store bought ones at the apothecary."

Hermione hadn't missed the sudden shift in Harry's face. The moment when his smile became forced. "Well," she said. "It's a better plan than doing nothing. You'll be a year behind everyone, but it's good that you've not given up entirely. I imagine an entire generation of healers and Aurors have been held back or just simply not continued on because of that greasy git."

"Now you're getting it!" Ron exclaimed cheerfully.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Ron and I've got free period this morning. We'll see you in Defense this afternoon."

Their free period saw Ron and Harry, along with Neville who also blissfully missed out on Snape's NEWTs potions class, trying to figure out what to do with themselves. Ron opted to head back to the tower for another hour's worth of sleep before he'd had to head off to Divination. The other two boys scoffed at him for putting up with it this long. Ron had shrugged and said it was an easy grade. Gave him more time to sleep after he predicts someone's bad hair day or death.

Left to their own devices Neville and Harry went up to the seventh floor and paced back and forth for the room of requirement. "What are we doing up here for anyway, Harry?"

"You've got a new wand. I thought we could run through some of the stuff from the DA last year and test it out. Would sort of suck if you cast a spell in class and blew up a desk by accident because you didn't know you had it in you."

"Yeah... I suppose that's a good idea then. If you need extra help in Herbology then, I'd be happy to repay the favor."

The two teens spent much of the free period in the training room the castle had provided for them, reviewing the spells he taught the DA the year before. And some others he'd picked up in the later part of his summer. It helped him, too. At home with his godfather and uncle, he didn't have much cause to flex his magical might so to speak. To really see where his limits now were with the bindings, the Horcrux, and that weird stone removed.

His casting came quicker. The incantations barely out of his mouth before they shot from the end of his wand. He could feel his magic moving freely through him. Building up as it traveled up his spine like a rush of fire and then pushed through his chest to his wand arm. The more he cast, the stronger his spells became. The quicker he could chain them together as he and Neville worked side by side against the animated dummies the room kept providing them.

He had to stop eventually when he noticed his magic kept halting, though briefly, in his hand. At the point that it should flow seamlessly through to his wand. Instead, as he pushed himself and his magic higher and faster, it would stutter and falter before being released. It was a strange feeling. One he only ever experienced when using the wand of another. The few times he's had to use Hermione's or Ron's because he can't find his own in the dark.

"Neville, I think you and that wand are perfect for each other," Harry said after a while, deciding to think on his own wand problem later. As long as he didn't put too much power behind his spells, he should be fine until he could talk to Sirius and Remus about replacing it. "I've never seen your movements so fluid. Your aim's improved, too."

"Thanks, Harry," he said back, cheeks tinged with exertion. He wiped the sweat from his brow as Harry wiped his own face and went to get his bag. He picked up his friend's and offered it to him. "We should have enough time to get cleaned up and changed before History of Magic."

**o0o**

The first day of classes was dull. Though he hadn't expected to get much done in the first place. The third years that morning were actually quite pleasant, and he modeled their class after his own third year with Remus. Defending oneself from creatures - both light and dark - was important. And he liked to use the example of Malfoy and the Hippogriff, though phrasing it differently as if it happened to a completely different child at some other place, to stress the importance to his students that when dealing with unpredictable creatures the first line of defense against them was knowledge. If you didn't go out of your way to insult an intelligent creature, you wouldn't need to know the spells to defend against them, but just in case he would teach them the spells anyway.

The fifth years he had afterwards were already high strung, not having learned anything the previous year they were completely unprepared for their OWLs. So after a brief introduction to himself and the course, the rest of the class was spent trying to figure out what they did and did not learn about so he'd have a better footing on what to catch them up on.

Lunch was a blessedly simple affair, and he welcomed the peace and light conversation it had provided.

"How are you settling in now that you've had your first taste of teaching?"

"Honestly?" he said, turning some in his chair so that he half-faced his meal and half-faced the older Head of Gryffindor. "Third year Hufflepuffs are not quite what I expected. A bit more gung ho when it comes to fighting off creatures. The fifth year Ravenclaws are in a panic because of OWLs already but that was to be expected."

"And what do you anticipate for your double defense sixth year NEWTs?"

"I was warned already by a former professor about putting Potter and Malfoy in the same class," he said with a groan. At her raised brow he clarified. "Mr. Lupin and I had a mutual acquaintance until late last term. I was there the day Mr. Potter went to the bank."

The older woman nodded. "Ah... When you learned you had been hired you sought his advice I hope?"

"I did actually," he lied. "Hopefully since it's a NEWTs level course it's an even mix of different houses so it should be a little easier to keep the pair of them separated."

"One can only hope," she said, glancing towards the students scattered about the great hall. She took a long sip from her goblet with a sigh. "Hadrian," she said, her tone denoting the start of a question. "I know it isn't your job to have favorites... but as we share the same dear friend, will you try to keep an eye on Mr. Potter? When you can. I fear there are some in this castle who don't have his best interests at heart." The old woman looked past her lunchtime companion towards the center of the table where Albus sat, picking at piece of ham as he conversed quietly with Severus.

"His current guardian asked the very same of me," he said, turning his head briefly to follow her gaze. He allowed his word choice to lead her to her own assumptions. "Provided he doesn't go out of his way to be a troublemaker. If he lands in detention with Snape there's very little I can do for him unless he, or you as his head of house and deputy headmistress, specifically ask me to."

He kept his face impassive, but inside he was practically throwing a party. Never in a million years had he thought to get the ever loyal Minerva McGonogall on his side without having to go about it like a sneaky Slytherin. Part of him wondered what she might have said if she'd been present for Sirius' will as well, given the man's clear anger at Dumbledore for hiding the knowledge that Pettigrew was the secret keeper. And for never admitting that he was the one who performed the Fidellis charm for the Potters in the first place.

The warning bells chimed, and Hadrian stood from the table. He wiped his hands with a napkin and dropped it to his plate before the elves, ever unseen, vanished them back to the kitchens for cleaning. "If the curse of the Defense post strikes, this will be the class that does it to me," he said with a light laugh. "Hopefully you'll be seeing me again at supper, Minerva."

"Good luck. And don't let Potter or Malfoy's friends push your buttons. It's what they're all best at."

**o0o**

"So what do we know about this bloke?" Seamus said as they all started to line up for class, their professor not having arrived yet.

Ron shrugged. Susan poked her head in. "So far the word from the Hufflepuff third years is that he's pretty laid back."

"Luna said something similar at lunch," Hermione said. "Though she did admit he spent most of the class walking majority of the students through a panic attack about OWLs considering what we went through last year. She said he plans to use the first half of the year to review fourth year material while teaching fifth year material alongside it. And then do intensive OWLs prep after the New Year."

"Well, anything is better than what we didn't learn last year," Harry said. "As long as he doesn't make us do lines in detention I'll be happy."

Those who had also known the pain of the blood quill nodded in solidarity with him.

Hurried footsteps echoed down the hall, causing the crowd to part so that the teacher could unlock the door for them all. "Sorry I'm late lads and ladies," he said. "It's bloody hard to get around this place when everything's so far apart. You'd need a map to get around this madhouse."

The tardiness though, was deliberate on his part. Keeping them waiting meant they started talking. When they started taking you could really get an honest perspective of what you're dealing with. So when he'd unlocked his door, silently the listening charms were deactivated.

He strode towards the front of the room to his desk, set down a bundle he'd been carrying and then turned. Leaning back he crossed his arms and sat on the edge of his desk while he waited for his students to find a seat and get comfortable. "Alright, everyone settle down," he said, knowing it would be impossible. Teenagers were, in his opinion, the worst. This particular teaching position garnered no respect out of the gate and was hard earned with the older students.

He tried to get their attention again, and once again he failed.

Turning to the bundle, he unwrapped it to expose a small stack of books. Very hated, very useless books. He could hear his dearest Hermione i the back of his thoughts now. Chiding him for what he was about to do.

Without a second thought he levitated the book with one hand to raise it up to just above his students' eye levels and with his other hand drew his wand.

"Bombarda," he said simply, pointing his wand at the book and causing it to explode in a shower of paper and mild fire.

He pulled out another book and readied it, even though the previous one opened the class with quite a bang. "Oh? Are you lot ready to pay attention now?"

A hand shot up. He tried not to smile and turned some to consult his class roster despite not needing to. "Ah... You must be Miss Granger," he said. Yes?"

"You just destroyed a book!"

"Indeed I did. Five points to Gryffindor for stating the obvious," he said, letting the second book hover there. "Can anyone tell me what book I destroyed?" He waited. No one answered.

"It was a copy of this one. Indeed all of the books I carried in here for demonstration today are the very same. You see, when I cleaned out this classroom I found myself in possession of a lot of useless books a certain pink toad left behind. Since not even muggles would use them for a doorstop, I thought why not recycle them for some of our practical lessons."

He smiled broadly, looking over the slightly confused faces of his students as he plucked the book out of the air and began his planned lesson. Like the others, it was more of a sorting out what they knew and what they didn't. He could have gone from memory, but decided against it given how long ago it had been since he was a 6th year Hogwarts student himself.

The class went relatively smoothly, with his only having to take points off for a couple of rude remarks from two Slytherins built like brick shithouses and their poncy faced leader. They stopped, though, when he threatened them detention with Hagrid for that evening.

By the end of class the desks had all been pushed aside, robes discarded to leave students in their uniforms as they all stood and practiced some of the stances in the diagrams on the walls. "Duels are one thing," Hadrian said loudly for them to hear. "You are free to stand in place, chaining spells together and your opponent is expected to fight fairly. In real life that's not how it works. In real life, standing still while your opponent is using his or her environment to their advantage will get you killed."

He walked up and down the rows, stopping when needed to demonstrate the proper posture. "In this class you will not only learn to defend yourself using magic, but also with every means at your disposal. By the end of this school year you'll be doing defense drills in your sleep."

When he reached the front of the class, he looked at the clock on his desk and nodded. "Alright everyone. Five minutes to cool down, and another five to pack up. The double classes will always be practicals. First half magic, second half no magic. One of your two remaining classes during the week will be purely defensive theory, while the third will be used to catch you up on what you missed last year. All homework is due no later than Friday evening each week by 5pm." He leaned back against his desk and crossed his arms as his students mumbled among themselves.

He didn't miss the snotty remarks from the Slytherins in the back about his barbaric teach methods and unprofessional ism.

As the bells chimed, signaling the end of class and the brief moments before the next one, Hadrian called out over the rising voices of his students practically fleeing his class. "Mr. Longbottom. Mr. Potter. A moment of your time please."

He smiled when he noticed Hermione and Ron hovering near the door, uncertain if they should go on or wait. "Don't worry, it's nothing horrid. Just a few things I noticed in class is all. I'll send the boys along with a note for their next class, Miss Granger."

Hesitant, but slightly appeased, the young woman nodded and took Ron by the arm to drag him away.

Neville wasn't certain he wanted to come any nearer, and Harry sighed. "Look I don't want any special treatment okay."

"I know," Hadrian said. "That's not what I wanted to speak to you about. Mr. Longbottom, I notice your wand looks fairly new."

"Uh... yeah. Yes sir. I got it this summer."

"I thought so. Your grip is a little awkward, and it can cause the movements to be thrown off a bit. Try a looser grip about half an inch lower than you normally would with your old wand. You'll find your change in position will allow the magic to flow a little easier and give you greater control of your spell work. Try first and second year spells at first until you get used to the new hand position."

"Thank you, sir."

"If you need any help feel free to stop by any time before curfew. Though I do prefer Sundays to be as student free as possible," he said with a slight chuckle. He summoned a piece of parchment and his ballpoint pen, giving it a click and scribbling out a note for the boy in purple ink, then another for Harry. "There. That should keep anyone off your back."

Neville looked over the note. "Purple, sir?"

"I'm the only one here that writes with a muggle pen, but I like to annoy the dungeon bat with different colored inks. I found out last week he can't stand it so of course I need a good laugh." He grinned mischievously. "But keep that to yourself. It'll make it a little funnier each time you have to see him get one of my notes."

Neville stifled a laugh as their teacher turned his attention to Harry. The boy folded his note and stuffed it in his pocket. "Mr. Potter, I know certain things from the summer are uncomfortable for you to talk about. Our shaggy friends have told me to help you if I can. If you ever need to talk, or need extra help with controlling your magic, then my door is always open. Except for Sundays. I cannot stress that enough. There had better be an emergency to bother me before noon on a Sunday."

"Thanks," Harry mumbled. Hadrian stood up straight and rounded his desk before the two teens could get away. He opened the top left drawer, shoving some chocolates out of the way and taking out an old thick book. "Take this. I nicked it from Snape's personal library last week. He hasn't even noticed it's missing so don't leave it where he can find it."

Harry accepted the book with a frown, then read the title. "Occlumency, sir? I thought we were certain that I didn't need to learn it anymore."

"What that vile man was doing was not teaching you Occlumency. And what he was doing was reprehensible. No, I want you to read that book from cover to cover and actually learn about it first. If you feel you want to learn it the proper way, or anything else in that book, I will give you, and maybe some of your friends some lessons."

The bells rang again. The final classes of the day had started.

Harry eyed him a long moment before he tucked the book into his bag and nodded. "I'll consider it," he said. "Is that all, Professor?"

"Yes. And don't forget to hand those notes to Professor Sprout. I don't want her thinking I'm an irresponsible and brash teacher."

He watched them go with a smile as his last class of the day started to file in. Gryffindor and Slytherin first years.

"Alright everyone! As you can see the desks are still pushed off to the side from my last class. I want everyone to take a chair and bring it over here forming a sort of half circle along this line." He used his wand to draw a chalk line where he wanted the chairs placed. "And then put your bags under your seat. There will be no wands out in this class today. This will be an open discussion on the importance of defensive magic in your day to day lives."

**o0o**

By the end of the first week, Hadrian had a good idea of what he was in for when it came to his classes and the students. By the end of the second he was certain that given the first opportunity to do so, Snape was likely to poison him.

Every so often he would find Harry and Hermione huddled outside studying the book he had let his younger self borrow. He'd broken up three fights between Gryffindors and Slytherins. Two seventh year fights and one between a few third and fourth years.

He had settled into a nice routine, and have even received word from Dobby that his tasks were completed. Ravenclaw's diadem was nestled safely in a carefully warded box hidden in the headboard of his own bed. Another Horcrux awaiting destruction.

His conversation with the sorting hat was starting to bear fruit as well. He was surprised that it took two weeks for people to realize that not a single new Slytherin student was pureblood. Every single first year of the snake house had at least one muggle parent. In Gryffindor not a single half-blood or muggleborn to be found. No, the muggleborns, as few as there were, had been split between Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. It wasn't even intentional, either. He'd simply talked to the hat, in that strange manner the hat speak to the mind of a child, about why certain people were given a choice and why others were not. This had led the hat to admitting that somewhere along the way, many centuries back, it had been confounded when a headmaster's daughter was put into a house he didn't exactly agree with. Namely, she was supposed to be in Slytherin but she was sorted into Hufflepuff, as the hat had felt that house best suited her skills and temperament.

So Hadrian had done what any child of tricksters would do to create more chaos with little effort. He offered to come back when Albus was out of the office and remove the spell before the sorting the next day. It wasn't so hard a task to complete when he could shift into his bird form, flash in and flash back out once he was done. Especially because the old fool wouldn't think twice about the oddity in the wards, believing it to be Fawkes doing out and doing whatever it was he does in his free time.

Unfortunately, this time of amusement came to a screeching halt when Monday morning of the third week at breakfast, the Headmaster had announced a split in one of the courses.

Hadrian's blood ran cold as he glanced down the table to see, seated between a glowering Severus Snape and a cheerful Pomona Sprout... Professor Horace Slughorn grinning from ear to ear.

He didn't even remain for the entire announcement, instead wiping his mouth and throwing his napkin to his plate before rising from his seat. Minerva raised a brow in question as he murmured a quiet "Excuse me, ma'am. I just remembered a last minute lesson change I need to make," before he hurried from the great hall through the staff entrance. He felt curious stares at his back - but they were nothing compared to the crawling of his skin and the rapid pounding of his pulse against his eardrums.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn't want to respond to someone's comment earilier on about Slughorn and maybe Dumbles splitting the Potions class between Sluggy and the dungeon bat because spoilers. But since I've done it now, well, ta da! You were right!


	7. Altering Fates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always:  
> Harry = teenager Harry  
> Professor Peverell, Hadrian, etc = Future/AU Harry

He glanced at the clock on his desk. Another ten minutes until his first class.

"Dobby!" he shouted into the empty classroom, running a hand through his hair as the tell-tale popping noise signaled the elf's arrival.

"What is it Master Hadrian wishes of his Dobby, sir?"

"Three things. First, has Sirius replied to my letter yet?"

"Oh yes sir. Dobby puts it in Master's special drawer in his desk."

"Good. Thank you. Second, I want you to watch over Harry, but he must not know that you are looking out for him. Remain invisible as much as possible, and never leave him alone with Professor Horace Slughorn."

"This Dobby will do."

"Lastly, and this is the most important thing Dobby, if you see Slughorn alone with a student, especially any of the young boys, you protect those kids. You do whatever you feel is necessary just short of killing him. Maim him if you like, I don't care. Just..." He swallowed around the bile rising in his throat. "I leave it to your judgment. But remember, no killing. Or leaving him in a place that will get him killed. I want him brought to justice so he can get Azkaban or the Kiss, do you understand?"

Dobby barred his teeth and snarled as Hadrian had explained his order, the meaning of certain words and phrases not lost on the house elf. He had, after all, been a Malfoy elf at one time. He remembered what it was like before the greatest wizard Harry Potter was born and saved them all. "Dobby understands, Master Harry Potter sir," the house elf snarled viciously, forgetting for a moment that he was not to use Hadrian's former name to refer to him. "And Dobby will do what Dobby must to keep both his masters safe."

The house elf popped away as Hadrian reached into his desk drawer for a piece of chocolate, letting the sugary treat melt on his tongue and calm his nerves as he waited for the first of his morning's students to come trudging in.

**o0o**

"Did you see the look on Professor Peverell's face at breakfast?"

"He ran out so fast! And he was so pale... I wonder if he's come down with something..." Hermione mused as Harry and Neville walked with her to her first class on their way to the seventh floor for their free period time in the Room of Requirement.

"He seemed fine until the headmaster mentioned the new potions professor," Neville said, turning to Harry. "Hey, you kind of know him. Maybe you should check on him, y'know, after class today."

"I wouldn't say that I know him," Harry replied with a shrug as the three friends came to a stop at the corridors where they needed to part ways. "I only just met him this last summer. He was Sirius's friend, really."

"Harry..." Hermione started. "Even still, I really like what we've been studying in that book. And it would be really helpful even though you're not having those nightmares anymore. You should tell him we'll do the extra lessons."

"I haven't even decided if I'm going to do it or not!"

Hermione fixed her friend with a knowing smirk. "We both know how this argument's going to end."

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah... I know. Come on Nev. I read about a new spell over the summer we can practice on the dummies this morning..."

"At least promise me you'll think about it, Harry."

He gave her a wave as he and Neville turned to go one way while she went off another.

**o0o**

Off on the coast, in a house hidden by the Fidellis, on a piece of unplottable land, behind some of the strongest wards created by both goblin and man, two men sat at a table in a modestly sized kitchen staring at a long lost sword laid out between them.

"Tell me one more time," Remus said as he poured himself another cup of tea, pouting a splash of firewhisky into it after. Because some situations called for something a bit stronger than regular tea. "How the hell did YOU find the Sword of Gryffindor?"

Sirius sat back in his seat, raising his cup to his lips with a smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know," he said, taking a sip.

Remus sighed. "That is the point of the question, yes," he said disdainfully. "More importantly, WHY do you have it?"

"Three weeks ago I got this letter by way of a house elf-"

"We have a house elf?"

"WE don't have a house elf. Unless you want me to call that bitter old cunt from Grimmauld." At his friend's shaking of the head, he continued. "No, it was that weird one that stalked Harry for a while. And don't make me say his name because he'll pop right up and spook the wolf right out of you, the sneaky little bastard." He raked a hand through his tangled hair. "So this letter. It was from Hadrian, telling me there's this locket hidden away in my old house. He reckons it was tucked up in the attic with the rest of the old dark slag we tossed up there when Molly went on her cleaning spree."

Sirius shuddered just thinking about the domineering woman taking over his old home. He hated that place, but that didn't mean he had to like letting someone else essentially seize control of his hide-away prison. He'd take Dementors over that wrecking-ball of a woman any day of the week.

Remus gave a nod. He tried to keep away from Grimmauld as much as he could in those days, even willing to go try and persuade the werewolves - a lost cause if he'd ever seen one - just to get out of the cleaning of the old, dark house. "What did he want this locket for? Given it was in the Black house, must have been a rather dark artifact."

"The darkest," Sirius said, setting his cup down on the table and looking back down at the basilisk venom laced sword between them. "He said it was the same thing the goblins pulled out of Harry. Another Horcrux."

Remus hissed. "As for the sword," Sirius continued. "He said it's one of the few things that can destroy it and since the locket belonged to Slytherin it would be a bit amusing to utterly destroy it with Gryffindor's sword. Which he had the elf send along with the letter."

"You've had it for three weeks and didn't say anything!"

"And I wasn't going to until you spotted me out in the yard practicing my swing. YOU were supposed to be out getting food and booze."

After a long moment of silence, Remus sighed and stood, taking both their cups to the sink where they washed themselves before moving to sit neatly on a drying rack next to the sink. "What do we do now that we've got it?"

"Well Moony," Sirius said with a roguish grin to his back. "We break into my old house, hope the flaming pigeon club isn't still using it as a headquarters, and find that damned locket. Maybe give my dear mother's portrait a go with the sword while we're there."

Remus choked on a laugh, barely able to contain it. "Well, nothing else has worked on the old bitch. We'd be doing the world a service."

**o0o**

The trio met outside the Great Hall before walking in for lunch. Hermione glanced up towards the staff table, a frown on her face as she scanned it for their newest professor and finding him absent. She followed her friends to their usual place at the Gryffindor table, pulling out her Arithmacy book to have something to do.

"So how are you liking Defense this year," she heard Ginny ask Harry across the table.

"It's alright I suppose. A lot more intense than I thought it would be honestly. But Professor Peverell raises some good points about the physical end of things. The only reason I lasted as long as I did against Voldemort after the third task was because I kept moving and dodging while he just kind of... stood there as if it were some kind of proper duel."

"Its exhausting is what it is," Ron said. "And we've got double today!" he lamented as he piled his plate high with turkey sandwiches and potato wedges. Hermione rolled her eyes behind her book.

"If you eat too much, Ronald, you'll likely make yourself sick in class."

"I need my strength!" he exclaimed incredulously.

Harry shook his head with a laugh as he reached for his pumpkin juice. At that moment Seamus bumped into him from behind, spooked by the sudden appearance of Loony Lovegood as if she were a sneaky little ninja.

"Sorry Harry!" the boy exclaimed as Harry grabbed his napkin and wiped at his robes and hand.

Harry's smile faltered a moment when he caught sight of the rings on his hand, still damp with pumpkin juice. What should have been black was a dark swirling pink. What should have been red had turned a disgusting shade of brown. Green eyes glanced up across the table to Hermione, her brown eyes looking from his hand to his face. Her scowl was hidden behind her book.

"Here, let me help you," Ginny said, taking another napkin.

"I'm really sorry, Har-"

"It's okay! Really! Will you guys just stop making a fuss about it." He stood, pushing Ginny's hand away and brushing past his friend. "I'm going to go change."

Luna frowned from where she stood, watching the exchange with a sigh before sitting down in the seat Harry had just vacated. "How was everyone's summer? I didn't have the chance to ask on the train because of all the buzzbees distracting me..." she said in that odd, dreamy way she had about her. She was turned ever so slightly towards Ginny, as if her question was directed at the youngest Weasley rather than the rest of the Gryffindors close by, distracting the girl from Harry's retreating back.

The girl's sudden appearance had set off a chain reaction of events, the end result which caused a Hogwarts post owl to circle above the table where Harry had just been before leaving again, the note from the man on the golden throne at the head table still tied to it's leg undisturbed.

**o0o**

Elsewhere in the castle, during the time he would normally be spending in the Great Hall for lunch, Professor Peverell was seated by his bedroom window, Sirius’s letter in his hand and half-empty pint of butterbeer on the small table next to his lunch, courtesy of Dobby.

His rattled nerves from earlier were calmed, at least a little, at seeing the familiar scrawl across the parchment. He and Remus were settled in, and despite the seclusion and isolation of the place, he enjoyed going out the front door for a run in the forest nearby, or down to the beach for some fresh air.

Sirius asked after the man's younger self, and if the boy was adjusting well to life free of the shackles that had once bound him before telling him of his plans to find and steal the locket Hadrian had written about in his letter. The drawing the professor had included was crude, but it was enough to get the general idea of what he was looking for.

Hadrian sipped his butterbeer as he reached the end of the letter, smiling lip covered in a bit of foam as he read through the list of possible Marauder names the man wished to bestow on him, but only after he gets a better look at his form.

He set the letter aside, still smiling as he reached for a spare bit of parchment and one of his ever present ballpoint pens. Giving it a click, he started to scribble in his comfortable chicken scratch, green ink filling the page as he wrote his reply.

**o0o**

Was it too much to ask not to have his day interrupted by a meddling old fool - especially a day like today?

This was the main thought that flitted through his mind when the flash-bang happened at his desk, Fawkes dropping the note for him before trilling softly and leaving the same way he had come.

"Continue the drills," he said, waving off Miss Granger's questioning look as he passed. When he reached his desk, he picked up the folded note and sighed, seeing his name - or rather, his younger counterpart's name - scrawled across the front in the elegant cursive scrawl of Albus Dumbledore. Quickly he pulled out some parchment and scribbled out a late note that he was certain the boy would be needing, choosing a dark maroon ink to suit his own ill mood.

He set this and the note from the headmaster aside and returned to his class, ignoring the curious glances of the Gryffindors and the heated glare of a certain Slytherin. Hadrian took another circuit of the room before settling back at his desk and taking his usual position with arms crossed and his bum seated on the edge.

"Alright, we'll knock off a few minutes early today. Next week for this class, I want you to make sure you wear something comfortable that you can easily move about in under your robes. I've already discussed this with your other professors to make them aware you may be dressed a little different after my class." He waited a beat to see if anyone, especially Hermione, would raise their hand with a question. When none came, he dismissed them.

"Mr. Potter, a word please," he said as the class started to file out just as the dismissal bells chimed.

He reached behind him for the note from the headmaster and the one he wrote for the boy.

Harry took them, reading over the tardy note before turning his attention to the other with a sigh. "Don't suppose you know what this is about then?"

"If I had to guess? He's finally going to ask about your summer. I can come along if you like, or have a word with Professor McGonogall so that she's available to sit in."

"No. I can manage," he said turning to go so he wouldn't be late. He was stopped at the door when his teacher called out to him.

"Don't eat or drink anything he offers. As a crotchety old Auror used to say, Constant Vigilance."

"I'll keep that in mind, sir," Harry said before leaving the classroom, the sound of desk legs scraping against the stone floor filling the room he left behind.

**o0o**

Harry frowned down at his dinner, despite the elves bustling about around him.

"I thought I'd find you down here."

He looked up to see Hermione standing across from his little table. Another plate was put down for her as well, and a fresh glass of pumpkin juice.

"Thank you," she said to the elves, sitting on the stool provided. "Why are you hiding all the way down here?"

Harry picked apart a yeast roll but didn't bother eating any of the bits. "That note from Defense class was for me."

She rolled her eyes. "That's usually the case. Given the messenger, what does the headmaster want so early in the term? You haven't done anything."

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. He wants to see me after dinner tonight. Professor Peverell offered to sit in, and told me he could talk to McGonogall if I'd rather have her. Honestly I'd rather not go at all." He put down the remains of the picked apart roll and pushed his plate away with a sigh.

"I could come with you," she offered. "If for nothing more than to keep you company. After you told me about the things that were done to you... I went to the library." She paused to roll her eyes. "Don't give me that look Harry Potter. I looked into a few things and honestly Harry, I don't think I'd trust that man to be left alone with a flobberworm let alone a student."

He shook his head. "No, the less people I get involved in this mess the better-"

"Harry, we've taken down dark lords and evil ministry workers together. At this point, you're sort of stuck with me." She reached across the small table to put her hand on his wrist. "At least promise me that you'll let me look you over when you get back. Make sure you're not... you know. Changed in any way. I've looked up detection spells and charms just in case."

He smiled, reaching up to pat her hand on his arm. "Thank you."

She shrugged like it was nothing, but her smile told otherwise. "It never hurts to be prepared, Harry. I'll practice them until you get back and then I can teach them to you and the others in the DA."

"Maybe for now just keeping it between the two of us is best. Just in case it's not just him, but others that are in the Order, too. There had to be a reason all of that was done to me. I mean, aside from the love potions. That bit is kind of obvious."

Hermione was quiet then. Contemplating the implications of Harry's words. It wasn't the first time she had wondered about it since he had sat up late and told her about his summer. About learning that his parents' will had been hidden and even some of the goblins had been involved. For a goblin to betray their own, and their honor... It was unheard of. And when she approached it from a more goblin-like perspective the loss of profits by keeping someone as wealthy as Harry seemed to be in the dark about their finances and potential money-making opportunities was akin to a death sentence. Knowing what she did about goblins from their history class, it probably WAS a death sentence.

She used her fork to push her potatoes around the plate before eating them. They sat together on too-small stools at their little table, surrounded by the noise of the ever industrious Hogwarts house elves, in a companionable silence until at last, Harry put his fork down and shoved his plate away. "I suppose I've kept the old man waiting long enough."

"I can still come with you. Or send Professor-"

"No. He wants me to come alone. Better not to antagonize him too much already."

She nodded, standing when he did. "I'll take your bag up to the dorm for you, and wait to check you over when you get back."

"I don't know how long-"

"I'll wait for you."

**o0o**

He kept himself to the dusty, unused corridors. Checking the empty classrooms he knew from memory - memories the goblins had unlocked and recovered for him seven long years ago.

He'd chosen to wear black, to better blend in the shadows and the night. Wand in one hand, the other nervously playing with a toggle hanging from his muggle hood. The fabric held up and on his head with a sticking charm, keeping it low enough to hide his face, but not so much that it prevented him from seeing.

The hood was necessary, in case he came across something... untoward... but also offered a sense of comfort. It reminded him of his time as an Unspeakable. Though he was certain everyone in the department knew the truth about Unspeakable Evans, it was the illusion of anonymity that had always been reassuring. He clutched his wand tighter as he continued his self-imposed patrol.

Hadrian doubted he'd find anything tonight considering it was Slughorn's first night back in the castle. He would need time to... collect... for his little Slug Club. But if the ex-Chosen One had his way the old pervert wouldn't have much time to do more than that.

He made quick work of the third floor corridor, formerly home to Fluffy, and was about to drop down into the trap door to the lower, hidden floors since minus the traps it was actually a quicker way across the grounds if one knew where the right twists and turns were in the secret tunnels, when he was stopped by a Patronus he hadn't expected.

"Hello kitty," he said, throwing back his hood, frowning.

"Hadrian," McGonogall's Scottish burr sounded. "You are needed in the infirmary. Come quickly." The glowing tabby cat darted off, it's mission completed.

He glanced back at the trap door before turning away and heading back out into the castle proper. Long legs carried him quickly through the quiet castle as he ran through a list of reasons why he of all people were needed. The every-day curses school children threw around were easily broken by the school nurse. Unless someone was bitten by a werewolf or other dark creature he didn't really see the need for him to be brought down this late in the evening...

Until he burst through the doors and saw laying in every available cot...

"Crikey..." he muttered, trying the word out a bit since he was meant to be from Australia after all. He found he didn't particularly care much for it. But it might grow on him. "What the hell have I walked into?"

"Thank goodness you're here," Minerva said as she hurried over. "The headmaster's on his way, but Miss Granger suggested we bring you in first, since this is more your area of expertise."

"What?"

"You do have a mastery in curse breaking do you not, Mr. Peverell?"

"I do but I don't see how-"

"Perhaps Miss Granger can explain, since it was she who discovered this... problem."

Hadrian frowned as he was led deeper into the infirmary, looking at the faces he knew so well - many of which he hadn't seen since the War...

He was brought to a curtained off area where Hermione sat with Ginny Weasley, the younger girl sobbing in her friend's arms. He frowned. Having nearly half of Gryffindor tower in the infirmary three weeks into school was not something he ever remembered happening. Nor was it something he expected before the Battle of Hogwarts.

"Miss Granger, could you come with us please."

"No!" Ginny shouted. "Please, don't leave me alone."

Hermione cast a pleading look to her head of house who nodded and stepped out for a moment. When she returned she had Lavender Brown with her. "Miss Brown, will you please keep Miss Weasley company while Professor Peverell and I speak with Miss Granger."

"Of course Professor," the girl said, rushing to he bed to sit on the vacant side of her housemate. Hermione extracted herself from Ginny as carefully as she could, letting the girl glom onto Lavender as she left the cot.

Hermione looked from one professor to the other. "It would be best if we spoke in private."

"Let's step into Madam Pomfrey's office a moment then," the old woman said, turning to lead the way. Hadrian was the last to leave the curtained off area, his mind already whirling at the possible changes to the timeline he could cause here and now. How he could prevent the terrible future that had forced his remaining family to flee to Australia. A future that had killed the girl, no, young woman who had apparently been the cause of this crisis.

He turned away and joined the others in the office, closing the door behind him. Hermione was seated already, with her head of house taking up the chair beside her. Hadrian stood with his hands in the pockets of his hoodie, trying to keep as relaxed an expression as possible.

"I suppose I should start from the beginning..."

"Actually, given how many students are out there, I'd just like to know what I'm dealing with. The how and the why you discovered this can wait for later."

"The why is kind of important. I was worried about Harry after we talked about... his summer." Hadrian nodded, and Hermione glanced at her school guardian. "He told me everything except where he lives because it's under a Fidellis. So naturally I went to the library to look up some things..."

He listened as she quickly explained the detection spells she'd read about and taught herself. And about practicing in the common room so when Harry came back she could check him over. And that's when she realized half of Gryffindor was under some kind of spell or charm. When she reached Ginny, well...

"I remembered from the first few classes, when you let us ask questions about you and Malfoy demanded to know what made you qualified to teach the class. You mentioned your masteries."

"That was a very good idea then," he said, and was about to continue when there was a knock on the door before it opened. Madame Pomfrey poked her head in, and from where he was standing he could see Dumbledore in the room behind.

Hadrian gave a small nod to Minerva, who turned her attention to Hermione as he excused himself.

He stepped out and gave Albus a tight smile, but ignored the surprise in the man's face as he turned to the matron. "I'd like you to make some sort of indicator of the students with spells and charms you can't break and treat. A sort of color system would be efficient and best."

"I've already done it. The white flags tied to the end of the cot are ones I can treat easily, some of which I have already done so. The red flags need more intensive work."

He nodded. "Anything I can't handle, we'll send to London. I assume Miss Weasley's case is special, else she wouldn't be separated from the others?"

"Yes. I'm considering sending her on to St. Mungoes."

"Leave her for now. I want to get a solid idea of what they'll be dealing with and will of course make myself available should my assistance be wanted."

He completely ignored the headmaster as he pulled off his hoodie and got to work. He was standing over the cot of Dennis Creevy, and missed when Hermione was sent back to the tower since she herself was clear of any spells or charms on her person.

When he was certain the other three adults weren't looking, he summoned Dobby. "I've a long night ahead. Keep the coffee coming. Strong and black. And take Harry and Hermione some cocoa if you could please."

The elf didn't say anything. Instead, a hot cup of coffee appeared on the nightstand next to the cot. Hadrian didn't even need to look at it to know where to reach. One hand bringing the cup to his lips, the other weaving his magic over the boy in the cot, undoing the overabundance of cheering and obsession charms so tightly wound around him.

**o0o**

"What is going on?! One minute he's telling me I need to take private lessons to learn more about Voldemort, the next he's glaring at a cat Patronus before it can even pass on it's message."

"Remember I told you I was going to practice those spells I found? Well... " As she quickly explained it to him, a silver tray with two steaming cups of hot cocoa and biscuits appeared on the low table in front of the sofa. "Okay that was weird..."

"Probably Dobby," Harry said. "It's creepy, but he kind of keeps an eye on me ever since second year. After we got back from the ministry and we got settled back in bed and all, he left a large box of chocolates in my nightstand drawer."

"Huh... well, that's thoughtful," she said, leaning forward to pick up a cup. She wrapped her hands around it, not realizing she needed the comforting warmth until it was there. "It turns out most of us were under some kind of outside influence. I wouldn't be surprised to find out the same from the other three houses. Especially Slytherin."

"Why Slytherin?"

"Children are cruel. Everyone knows that. But what are the chances that the sorting hat puts every single horrible person in the school into one house? When you take away the house rivalry, there's actually some half-way decent people in Slytherin. Honestly if we didn't have this whole house system I can see Zabini and I getting along. Without being chained to Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle might actually be more gentle giants than brutes. I've overheard Parkinson talk at length with some of her housemates in the hall between classes about fashion. She, the Patil twins, and Lavender would get along famously... if not for the perpetuation that we must hate one another because of stupid rivalries."

As Hermione went on her tirade, Harry had picked up his own cup and hid his smile behind it as he listened to her. When she finally ran out of steam, and their cups were empty and the biscuits half-eaten, Hermione sighed and looked at her friend. Drowsy and content. The chocolate did them both good. "Do you want me to check you over now?"

"Might as well," he said as he sat up a bit straighter. Hermione pulled out her wand and spoke the incantations she'd repeated over and over in this very room hours before. "Well, aside from traces of a failed charm, you're clean."

Harry frowned. "Failed?"

She nodded. "Your aura glows a faint purple when it's failed. At least, that's what the book said. Red for active, blue for inactive, purple for failed and green for nothing. The brighter the color, the newer the charm, spell, or hex. You were mostly green, though. Just a bit of purple at the head."

Harry looked down at his hand and smiled, just a little. "I think... I need to write to Remus. Tell him what happened. I think my rings protected me just like when they were splashed at lunch and I saw they'd changed color because of a potion in my drink. Maybe we can get something like that for you, and Ron too I suppose. He's not up in the room, so you don't suppose what spells he was under?"

She shook her head. "No. But once he's clear and we can be certain he and Ginny both are fine, maybe you should tell them about everything. I mean, Ginny may not even be in control of her actions right now. For all we know she might be under some kind of weird love spell herself."

Harry shrugged, telling himself that he'd think about it.

After wishing his friend good night and climbing the stairs to his own room, finding only Seamus and Dean there, both already asleep, he lay in his bed and twisted the Potter lordship ring on his finger in thought.

Ever since finding out about the spells, charms, and potions he had been under, and finding out some of his earliest memories were obliviated beyond salvaging... and the curse damage on his very bones from some of what he couldn't remember, he had been hesitant to tell Ron anything.

Because of the love potions, and his awkward feelings about Ginny that had started around the same time he was uncertain if Ron knew anything and if he did what might happen if he found out Harry knew.

Rolling onto his side and closing his eyes, curling the hand bearing his rings of protection up beneath his chin, he came to a decision. After whatever was wrong with both Ron and Ginny was sorted out, he would tell them the truth. And if Ginny really wasn't in her right mind, he might even forgive her for spiking his drinks when he's been distracted.

**o0o**

It took four days to get all of the students in the infirmary sorted out. Between the two of them Hadrian and Poppy managed to get the worst cases dealt with or shipped off to London in the first full night and day. The rest were benign enough that they could come back later to be disenchanted and sent back to class.

Ron was surprised that he'd been under jealousy compulsions charms, layers of them in fact. Professor Peverell gave him a special amulet to carry around in his pocket with instructions to keep it with him at all times. When it warmed up, it meant someone had cast something on him, and he needed to get himself checked right away.

Letters were sent to the parents of those affected, and the Board was summoned that Friday for an inquiry.

Ginny Weasley was sent to St. Mungoes after a very intense session with Professor Peverell, her head of house, and Pomfrey. The two women standing witness to ensure nothing untoward happened with the girl since it was improper for the adult wizard to be left completely alone with her in the state she was in, or in any state for that matter. A well timed Patronus message sent off when no one was looking would ensure the girl got one of the best Goblin curse breakers on her case. By the end of the weekend even the memories of his younger self and Ron Weasley concerning the Chamber from second year would be carefully stored and delivered to her care team so they would have all the background information on the curses still affecting her.

Hadrian would do everything in his power to help her if it meant avoiding the utter destruction of Wizarding Britain and saving the lives of her entire family. Though he could do without bumping into the living howler bawling her eyes out or shouting irately whenever he visited his students in the hospital.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point, will change Weasley Bashing tag to mild weasley bashing.  
> Any guesses as to who tipped off the Board that so many students were affected? You'd be surprised by the answer when I give it.


	8. Scavenger Hunt

Remus wiped his brow as they searched through the old house. The Order was still using it as a base, though mostly as just a safe house rather than headquarters. He'd gone back to the house under the pretense of needing somewhere to lay low, and was thankful Moody wasn't around. He'd bumped into Kingsley and Dora, the later of which had been quite pleased to see him again after so long.

He had to admit, part of him was happy to see her, too. They had been dancing around one another for a quite a bit, and she was there for him during the time he believed the last of his best friends to be dead. She thought nothing of leaving him alone in the old place to rest. That was, after he gave to both her and Kingsley the story he, Harry, and Sirius had cooked up should he ever face the Order again. It was simple, really. Harry needed someone who shared his grief, and the two of them chose to do their mourning in private before Harry went off and did something reckless and stupid... again.

The two aurors were mainly relieved that Harry had been somewhere safe with someone they trusted since the boy had gotten so good at losing his guards on a near daily basis.

Only after they were alone did Remus floo call a little tea shop in Cardiff where Sirius was waiting for his signal with the sword wrapped in a bundle of cloth.

And now, the pair of them tore the house asunder starting in the attic with the boxes and sacks of dark objects that the combined efforts of Molly Weasley and others had been unable to destroy or cleanse. When they came up empty handed, their attentions turned to the lower floors, some of which still had yet to be emptied.

Every now and then old Walburga would start shouting when Sirius would deliberately shove something heavy and large against a wall or to the floor, his inner rebellious teenager coming out to play for a while since there was no one there to stop him from it. The destruction caused during their search was rather cathartic for the ex-convict. A physical act of breaking away from his dark past and the old blood ties that had haunted him in order to make way for newer, brighter days.

The men had decided to take a break, ransacking the kitchen for any of Molly's leftovers.

The sword had remained in it's bundle, passing from one man to the other over the course of the day. Now it stood propped up beside Remus at the table as he and Sirius ate their way through a tin of meat pies they had found under a four day old stasis charm.

"I hate to say this," Remus said between bites. "But we may need to call that elf of yours."

"Anything but that."

"He might have salvaged some things," Remus suggested. "He was rather distraught when Molly started clearing out the place. I wouldn't be surprised if it were the case."

A heavy sigh. A shake of shaggy black hair. "Let's check a few more rooms first, then we'll call the damn elf. Maybe I can poke it with that thing there and-"

"We're not going to kill the wretched thing, Padfoot."

The animagus picked up another meat pie and slumped in his chair petulantly. "Fine," he said. "But don't you get annoyed when I insult the damn thing back." He took a bite of his pie and glared at his friend across the table from him.

**o0o**

As it turned out the Board was more than happy to hear a tentative plan had been put into place to deal with the wrongful curse situation, and Madame Marchbanks was able to give a statement to the Prophet just before news of what had happened to the students of Gryffindor tower broke out to the general public. Included in the first of a few articles on the subject, the woman was quoted as stating that with Aurors already on the premises an investigation was already underway and all staff was being questioned and interviewed.

And it was lucky that the Board had the forethought to hire someone with such impeccable credentials as Lord Hadrian Peverell, who was working with the school healer, Madame Pomfrey, to screen all of the staff and students.

While the extent of his involvement was exaggerated, and he wasn't at all pleased that he'd been named directly in the article, Hadrian recognized the odd layer of protection being somewhat placed in the public eye gave him. If anything happened to him, or if someone retaliated against him now, then... well... It would look awfully suspicious if the new and very well praised Defense Professor had an unfortunate accident now wouldn't it.

And a corner of his blackened heart felt a warm sense of pleasure as he had glanced down the table, passing his own copy of the prophet to Minerva while his eyes watched a few faces at the table blanch and one rather bushy set of eyebrows furrow with a frown buried deep in a long grey beard.

Because Hadrian hadn't told Dumbledore what Marchbanks had requested of him. That he and Poppy expand their screenings to staff and the other houses as well.

Minerva sighed, shaking he head and setting the paper aside after she'd finished reading. "I dread to think what else you, or the Aurors may find in the course of your investigations."

He nodded, picking up a strip of bacon and chewing on it thoughtfully as he turned his attention to the students out in the Great Hall. Most of Gryffindor had returned to classes. A feeling of general anxiety had settled over the house, but it would pass. A few faces were still missing - Miss Weasley being one of them.

The second wave of post owls arrived with the normal mail, a stack of which was dropped in front of Dumbledore and a few others scattered about the rest of the staff table.

Hadrian was surprised to find a few letters of his own mixed in with a message from the hospital that he'd been expecting. He sorted through it quickly, stopping at a name he hadn't expected to see. "I imagine she wishes to thank you for what you've done for Mr. Longbottom," Minerva said, peering over his shoulder some. He nodded dumbly as he tucked his mail away to read later when he had more time.

He looked out over the hall again to see a few pairs of eyes looking up at him from the Gryffindor table curiously. But it was a few cold glares from Slytherin that had really caught his attention. He filed the names away for later and pushed back his chair. "Well, I'd best be off. It's a long walk from here to my classroom." With a curt nod he left, touching a pocket of his teaching robes to remind himself about his mail for later.

**o0o**

"Thanks for letting me borrow these," Ron said as he searched for pockets in the loose exercise pants Harry had offered him. Ron frowned when he found none.

"What is it?" Harry asked, glancing up from repacking his bag for afternoon classes.

"My amulet. I've got no pockets."

Seamus was the one to come to his rescue, searching through his nightstand drawer a moment and coming back with a bit of cord. "Hand it here, Ron. Me mam showed me this years back when her favorite necklace broke and she couldn't do magic 'cause we were in front of muggles." Ron was hesitant, but eventually caved and handed it over. He watched as Seamus wrapped the cord around his amulet tightly, threading it through parts of the amulet so it wouldn't come loose before tying the two ends into a tight knot and giving it a tug to be sure it wouldn't come undone easily. "Here you go. Wear it under your shirt so those gits in Slytherin don't start laughin' at ya."

Harry watched with a small, amused smile as Ron slipped the cord over his head and tucked his amulet under his shirt as Seamus told him to. "So what do you think he's going to have us do today?"

"Well, he did say it was a surprise, didn't he? If we guess it now well spoil it."

The three boys were still discussing what might be in store for them as they descended the stairs into the common room where Hermione and Neville were waiting for them. "Took you long enough," she said. "Come on or we'll be the last ones there."

The five-some hurried through the castle, only to discover their classroom had a sign on the door telling them to meet down by Hagrid's hut. After traversing the castle one more time, they found themselves joining the crowd of students that made up not only their class, but also the seventh years NEWTs defense class as well.

Ron tugged his best friend's sleeve. "What do you think is going on?"

"I don't know," Harry said back. Looking around he spotted Madame Hooch, Madame Pomfrey, and Hagrid. "But this is really weird..."

Before the five friends could try and suss out what was going on, they heard their teacher's voice above the noise of the students. He must have been using a sonorous charm to make himself loud enough to be heard.

"Today the sixth years are joined by the seventh years so that we have enough people for this exercise. Each of you will be sorted into teams of four with one member from each house. I realize we are short by two Ravenclaws and one Gryffindor, so some teams will have two Hufflepuffs.

"Each team will be given a list of items they are to collect and bring back here. Not all lists are the same, but many will have the same items and objects on them. The object of this exercise is to navigate the Forbidden Forest, but only the areas that have been marked off on a map you will be given. There will be obstacles as well as other teams to contend with.

"We have warded the area to prevent serious injury and all spells, hexes, and curses are to be limited to sixth year level and below only. Madame Hooch and I will fly above the forest and if you find you cannot continue or are in need of first aid, you are to send up red sparks. One or both of us will come to you and sort out the problem or see medical attention. In case of emergency, Madame Pomfrey has set up a tent to render first aid. Hagrid will be waiting here to collect your list and check items. Rewards will be given for fastest time, most items returned, and most creative use of your environment.

"When your name is called come to the front and pick up an arm band. Once teams are formed, you will choose a leader and when I give the signal, you will begin."

The five friends looked to one another as the instructions started to sink in. "Oh God... What if I end up with Malfoy?!" Ron exclaimed.

"You? What about me?! He'd sooner hex me than work with me!" Harry bemoaned as Professor Peverell began calling out names and teams were starting to be formed.

The selection process went quickly. Ron, Harry, and Hermione were all relieved to not be stuck with Malfoy. Instead the three of them had Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle respectively. It was poor Neville they felt sorry for. If looks could kill, both Malfoy and Neville would have dropped dead when both their gray arm bands turned bright neon orange to indicate they were on the same team.

It was going to be a long afternoon...

**o0o**

Harry checked the list again. How did he get roped into being the leader again? Oh, right, because half his team was useless. Susan wasn't so bad to work with, but Crabbe and the seventh year Ravenclaw they were stuck with...

"We just have two more things to find before we head back," Harry said, handing the list to their Ravenclaw member. Wilford? William? Heck, he couldn't remember the boy's name. Something with a W though, he was sure of it.

"The bark shouldn't be much of a problem. The pixie dust though... that might be tricky. Which one of you can climb a tree?"

"So that's another one for me then," Harry muttered.

"No no, you can't gather it by hand," Wentworth? said quickly. "We need you to climb up to scout the canopy for nests. Once we've found one, depending on the size of the tree Big Guy can just give it a shake and we can catch the falling dust with some sort of bag or cloth. We can't let our skin touch it though, or it renders the magic in the dust useless."

"And what will you two do while we're getting the dust then?"

"I'm best with protection spells and barriers. I can shield us while Wyatt covers us until we've got the dust collected."

He looked from one teammate to the other, noting with surprise that Crabbe, who'd been more of a hindrance than a help thus far, was pleased to have something to finally do, even if it might not be necessary. "Well, we've got a plan. Where's the most likely place to find a pixie nest, Wyatt?" Harry asked.

The boy consulted the map they'd been provided. "Stagnant water. So... if we follow this path here, we should be able to-"

Harry reacted on pure instinct, tackling the student nearest him to the ground - which happened to be Wyatt - when a red flash soared overhead and hit the tree behind them.

Susan immediately raised a shield, bouncing a few hexes. "Change of plan! Harry, Wyatt! You two go! Crabbe and I will cover you!"

Harry go to his feet, pulling the other boy up and glancing above them. "Fancy a trip up a tree?"

"Not particularly."

"No choice. Let's go!" he exclaimed, pointing out one with branches low enough to hoist himself up. They ran, dodging and weaving through the brush as they went. Harry reached the tree first, hoisting himself up on a low branch and turning to offer his hand. "Just follow me, and step on the branches I step on. Susan and Crabbe know the direction we need to head, so we'll meet up with them there."

"I really don't like this..." Wyatt said, a badly aimed leg locking hex whizzing by. It was close enough for him to tuck the map in his shirt and reach up to take Harry's offered hand.

**o0o**

The two teachers hadn't had to do much when red sparks shot up out of the forest. Mostly some scrapes. One student had fallen into a hole and couldn't get back out. One team had found a couple of thestrals that had wandered into the area and decided that the one teammate that could see them decided to ride one around to scout out the area for the rest of his team.

Twice Peverell and Hooch had to go down and pull a team out early because of injury. In those cases it was a result of a higher level curse that had been flung out, and when Hadrian checked the magical signature and was able to match it to a student, the attacking team was disqualified and pulled from the forest.

In the end, a lot of students learned the value of Professor Peverell's strange focus on physical fitness as part of his NEWT level classes. Rewards for teams ranged from free passes on homework to the chance to replace one failing test score between then and Christmas break with the lowest passing test score, essentially erasing the old score for the new one. However, the grand prize given to the team with the fastest time of completion with every item on their list went to, surprisingly Malfoy and Neville's team. And was a certificate awarding each team member 20 galleons worth of whatever they liked from either Zonko's, Honeydukes, or a small assortment of other shops found in Hogsmede to spend as they so wished.

Before dismissal, Professor Peverell promised more practical exercises like the scavenger hunt in the future to test his students again so everyone would have an opportunity to earn the grand prizes later on.

**o0o**

It wasn't until after an unexpected visit to the house two days after their search began that Sirius finally relented and reluctantly summoned the house elf. Which had promptly insulted him. Leading to a shouting match that was overheard by accident when Tonks arrived through the floo with an injured Order member.

This, of course, caused the painting of Walburga to start screaming which set off a chain reaction of Tonks dropping the injured man on the table in the kitchen before pulling her wand and running upstairs, taking the steps two at a time. As she passed the portrait, it turned it's insults to her instead. She shot a stinging hex at it as she went up the next set of stairs, following the shouting.

The last thing she could remember when coming to hours later when Mad-Eye slapped her awake was seeing Remus physically restraining Sirius Black, who was meant to be very much dead, who was swinging a bejeweled sword wildly at the house elf Kreacher, who was refusing to give up a jeweled necklace it had around it's neck.

But that couldn't possibly have been what happened... because when Mad-Eye escorted her downstairs Remus was sitting calmly at the table having tea and discussing news from the school that he'd read in the Prophet with Kingsley. The house elf nowhere in sight and neither was her dead cousin.

Right?...

**o0o**

A few days after the class scavenger hunt, Hadrian received another letter from Sirius, which had reminded him of his mail from Monday that he had yet to open.

He sorted his mail quickly, reading and responding to Madame Longbottom first before moving on to the letter from the Goblins. Progress with Miss Weasley was slow, but thanks to the memories provided by younger Harry they were able to get a better understanding of the nature of the curse that had affected her.

True, the Horcrux had never actually been physically inside her, however enough of her life force had been drained that when the diary was destroyed and her life force returned to her, it had been tainted by the Horcrux. Leaving behind something akin to an after image, traces of Voldemort's influence and memory. Taking root in her insecurities and inner fears where, Healer Bloodthorne theorized, the remnants of the shade were laying dormant to gain strength. It was untethered from the rest of Voldemort's soul, and as such wasn't so much an anchor for the Dark Lord as it was an echo of him. A sentient echo.

A response was not needed for that letter, so he put it in his personal desk drawer and locked it back tight. The rest of his mail from Monday was simply little missives and what muggles would call junk.

When he reached Sirius's letter however... it seemed the man had finally settled on a Marauder name for him. The bulk of the letter was complaints about Grimmauld Place, followed by an amusing retelling of his confrontation with Kreacher to get the locket. Which was destroyed - and by the way Harry could have bloody warned him about the protections on the damn thing before he used the recorded memory of the man saying " _open_ " in parseltongue to open it thank you very much. Padfoot was not amused by the black mist that showed him things he'd rather not discuss in a letter. Not at all.

The rest was the usual inquiry about his younger self and how the boy was doing in his classes. Was anyone giving him any trouble. And the general reminder that the man promised to keep an eye on his godson for him and Remus.

Hadrian didn't patrol the hidden and unused corridors of the castle that night, instead choosing to sit up late and start revamping his plans to take the current timeline changes into consideration.

**o0o**

Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned to Months. It would be winter break soon.

So far Dobby had thwarted two attempts to drug and polyjuice a student, and had sat in on the "private lessons" Harry was getting with Dumbledore which amounted to a lot of looking at pensieve memories and not telling the boy anything of real substance.

The three remaining houses were all checked, and when Hermione's suspicions about Slytherin were found to be mostly true, she was quite smug. Though she questioned why Slytherin was saved for last...

The order the houses were checked in was deliberate. Hufflepuff went after the rest of Gryffindor. Followed by Ravenclaw. Very few in that house were found to be affected by outside influences considering Flitwick took his responsibility of protecting his students very seriously and since the start of the unpleasantness the year before, had taken it upon himself to discretely check his students over when they seemed to be acting out what was ordinary for them.

But when it came time for Slytherin... Oh Hadrian couldn't decide if he wanted to kiss or kill Hermione for starting this mess. On the one hand, some of the students of the house had no idea how they had missed the last year and a half of their lives until they had to be sat down, given a calming draught, and told they'd been under the Imperius all that time. It did not escape his notice that these children were from mostly neutral families who, during his time, had been forced to fight alongside the Death Eater and the Dark Lord's forces.

But on the other hand, he had a list of names that he knew he needed to hand over to the DMLE because he knew there was no damn way someone could get THAT on their arm while under the Imperius. But at the same time he knew what some of them grew up to be, and not all of them were horrid monsters. No, those were the ones who were forced into it. The ones who never wanted the stain on their arms that would color the rest of their lives... as short as some of them were.

There was only one thing for it, and never had he been more thankful than now that by having Harry hauled into Gringotts rather than letting him go on to the Burrow, he had managed to keep Harry from spying on the other teen in Diagon Alley. The result of which was a Harry who wasn't spending every free waking moment stalking Draco Malfoy.

It would make this seem less like a personal witch hunt and more like one professional consulting another.

He had to arrange a private meeting with the resident dungeon bat before he moved forward. The only question now was how could he convince the bitter old fool that they had similar goals and that he, in fact, was much closer to accomplishing them than Dumbledore was.


	9. Broken Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter deals with the subject of underage rape. This summary will be a TL;DR for anyone wishing not to read this chapter, but still want to know what happened.
> 
> It takes place one week before winter break and Professor Peverell is woken in the middle of the night by Hermione and Neville, bringing a sick Harry to him. Harry never came back to the tower after his "private lesson" with Dumbles about Moldyshorts. Hermione checked map, Neville caught her in Harry's trunk. They go fetch Harry. Dumbles used so much power to put complusion/obedience charms on Harry that it attacked his magical core. Peverell works to fix it. Kids sent back with McGonogall to the dorm. She contacts Remus to tell him about Harry. Finds out Sirius is alive. Dobby in search of healing potions for Peverell finds Slughorn and a student. Dobby saves the student and creatively punishes Nasty SluggyMan. Peverell links his mind to Harry's so he can dig deep into Harry's core to help him shake off the magic. It helps that they're the same person. It works, but Harry's confused why his professor looks like him in the weird mind scape place they were in. Snape returns and finds out what happened to the student. He's mega pissed off about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always....  
> Harry = teenage present day Harry  
> Hadrian, Peverell, Evan, etc = Future AU Harry  
>  _italics means it takes place in a weird magical core/mind scape type of place i guess?_  
>   
> 
> **  
> **  
> __  
> SECONDARY REMINDER: THIS CHAPTER INCLUDES UNDERAGE RAPE (THOUGH NOT OVERLY DETAILED OR EXPLICIT). IF THIS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU WANT TO READ, SEE THE CHAPTER SUMMARY ABOVE AND WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER TO POST. (OR IF IT'S POSTED, JUST MOVE ALONG TO THE NEXT CHAPTER.)  
>   
> 

It was one week before the students were due to leave for winter holiday when there was a banging on the door to his chambers, rousing him from sleep. He climbed out of bed and summoned his slippers and a muggle robe as the banging came again. "Alright alright keep your knickers on!" he shouted as he left his bedroom to cross into his sitting room.

Upon opening the door he was surprised to see Miss Granger, Mr. Longbottom, and Harry - who looked slightly ill - standing in the corridor.

"Professor may we come in?"

"Yes of course," he said, moving aside to allow the three students in. "Though this time of night I don't see why you didn't go to Professor McGonogall. Surely her chambers are closer to Gryffindor tower than-"

"Harry's been enchanted again," Hermione interrupted. "When he didn't come back to the common room I went to check the uh... Well..." she glanced across at Neville who was holding Harry up.

Hadrian frowned. "Whatever it was you needed to check," he said, not wanting to let on that he knew about the map, "should I assume that Mr. Longbottom was awake and caught you in the boy's dorm?"

She nodded. "Yes sir."

"And again, why did you not seek your head of house?"

"Here was closer to where we found him, sir."

Peverell nodded, moving to gently take Harry from his friend and help the boy onto the sofa. He cast a few diagnostic charms on him - two of which Hermione recognized straight away and caused her to frown. "Professor, you don't think-"

"It's best to cover all possibilities, Miss Granger," he said when the results of that charm came back clean. A knot loosened in his gut, but only just. "You say he has been enchanted again. Do you know what has been cast on him?"

She shook her head. "No. But the aura left behind was red."

Their professor waved towards the rest of the room. "Make yourselves comfortable. I'm going to change and then we'll see to Mr. Potter."

Neville looked around their professor's chamber, noting that it was rather homey. It reminded him a bit of the Gryffindor common room some, with the warm dark reds and earthy tones. As the professor left them to get comfortable, closing his bedroom door behind him, Neville looked over to Hermione. "What was he even doing out this late anyway?"

"Considering where we found him? Either he was meeting someone in the Room of Requirement or coming back from Dumbledore's office," she said, looking to her pale and sweating friend.

"You don't think the headmaster would do this, do you?"

"With all the dangerous things Harry's been caught up in since he came to Hogwarts? I wouldn't be surprised," she said. "Did you know over the summer he had to see a Goblin healer to have a mess of spells and charms removed. Not only did he find out about his scar, but he told me they had to remove this stone thing, too."

Neville's expression became more hardened the more he heard, but before he could respond the door to Professor Peverell's bedroom opened and the man came out dressed like a muggle - though that wasn't much of a surprise. The man only wore teaching robes - always open to show his day-wear beneath - because he had to. It was common knowledge by now that if he could, he'd never wear the bloody things and stick to muggle business casual at best.

He had his wand out and his hair brushed back from his face and held back in a bit of a knot with a hair tie. Without a word he summoned a stool to sit on beside the couch and reached over the arm to place a hand at each side of Harry's sweating head.

"Professor, do you know what this is?"

"Yes. I've seen it once before and I must tell you it is not pleasant."

"Curses never are. Do you want me to fetch Madame Pomfrey?"

He seemed to consider her words a moment before shaking his head. "No. This is beyond the skill of school healers. And I'm sure with Mr. Potter's fame he would rather not be spotted in St. Mungoes if he can help it."

Hermione nodded. "Professor McGonogall-"

There came a knock on his chamber doors again. "Is already notified. I sent word by house elf to her while I was changing. She's come to escort the two of you back to your dorm."

"But-"

The knocking came again.

"Please let your head of house in, Miss Granger."

She looked to Harry, then their professor with a slight glare before turning to do as she was told. Once the door was open, the woman in a tartan nightgown and house coat hurried into the room. "Miss Granger. Mr. Longbottom. I expect you have a good excuse for being out in the castle after curfew."

Neville opened his mouth to speak but was quickly cut off. "But given the circumstances I believe this once I can overlook it and remove fifteen points from each of you rather than assign detentions."

A look of relief came over Hermione's features briefly before Neville turned his attention to the Professor and his friend. "Could you tell us what's wrong with him before we go? So we have something to tell the rest of his friends?" Peverell glanced up to McGonogall and shook his head.

"I will speak to Albus in the morning," he said. "With you present of course. Thankfully this is Friday night so he won't miss any classes while he recovers. Once he is stable, I will send for the appropriate potions to treat any residual sickness he may have."

Minerva hesitated, coming close to get a better look at Harry as Peverell's fingers seemed to massage his scalp, though in reality he was searching for any potential injuries inside as well as out. She had seen the technique used a few times over the years when a healer wished not to overload a patient's magical core by using more general diagnostic spells.

"If there is any change at all, inform me immediately."

He nodded, offering a wan smile to the boy's two friends - his old friends in another life - before settling in to work. Once the door of his chambers had closed, he summoned Dobby. "Coffee. Strong and in a bottomless cup. This may take a while. Then I want you to go down to the kitchens and get a large brick of dark chocolate. He's going to need it."

He gave a further list of potions, instructing the elf with certain ones to get the strongest dosages he could find.

Dobby bowed and set about his tasks as Hadrian closed his eyes, drew a deep breath, and concentrated his magic on the boy - on himself - in front of him.

It helped that they were, at their core, the same person despite the differences time and experience had bestowed upon the elder. Because of this the boy's magic didn't see him as an invading force. More like family than anything else.

To force the compulsion and obedience charms through the protective magic of Harry's lordship and heir rings would have taken a considerable amount of power, and when he looked deep into the young man's mind it was easy to see how it had been done.

Sweating and pale, Harry had no choice but to lay there, his limbs refusing to react as the man bent over him, his face upside down and some black-crimson locks escaping the man's do and hovering just above his own face. Emerald eyes stared up as he examined the man's face in the few moments of lucidity he had before the strange vision would come back to him again and cloud his sight.

And he was back again - to that dinner party in Professor Slughorn's old rooms. Back to the false memory the headmaster had shown him before asking him to do something he hadn't wanted to do - but the words had tumbled from his lips without his permission.

Then he felt it again. Like hot spikes driving in through his skull. Ripping him from the vision so that he looked up at the professor's face again. His entire body felt on fire as impossibly green eyes stared back down at him. "I've silenced you because your screaming may distract me from breaking the spells. I need to ask you some questions. Blink slowly once for now. Rapidly twice for yes."

Harry blinked rapidly twice.

Hadrian nodded. "Good," he said. "Did you have a meeting with the headmaster tonight?"

Two rapid blinks.

"Were you discussing the Dark Lord?"

Fearful green eyes widened and stared up at him.

"I am not one of his followers. You've seen my arms, Harry. I make a point of showing them off to unsettle people. You've seen me with Moony and Padfoot. Be honest with me."

Two rapid blinks.

"Thank you. Were you in the pensieve when the spells were cast?"

Two more rapid blinks.

"I thought so... you're more aware of your environment now with my training. He wouldn't be able to sneak up on you unless you were completely immersed in something else." He looked down to see the green eyes going glassy again. He forced his magic through his fingers, yanking the boy's consciousness back from the fever haze again. It was a painful process, he knew. But it was necessary for the moment. "I need you to focus and pay attention."

A long, slow blink.

"Please Harry. Your core is trying to fight off the spells he put on you. But it's tearing you apart from the inside. Think of it like a muggle sickness. Your immune system is compromised because you've been ill for so long. Your core is in the same state. He forced his way through your natural protections. I need you to focus on your magical core to seek out any impurities. I will help you, but the hooks are far too deep for me to break these spells on my own. I need you to allow me to form a link between us."

He drew a deep breath, and Harry did not respond. "I need you to trust that I won't harm you. I vowed to Snuffles that I would watch over you. Don't make me break that vow."

Harry's eyes widened again. No one but Hermione and Ron knew he called Sirius by that name. Not even Remus knew. So how... How could this guy - this man who was near enough to a stranger - possibly know...

Harry drew in a shaky breath and blinked rapidly twice.

"Thank you, Harry," he said softly. "Keep you eyes open. This will not be pleasant," he said as green eyes locked on their identical match. The ex-Unspeakable uttered one of Harry's most hated words in all of the wizarding world as he exhaled slowly.

"Legillimens."

For a fleeting moment, Harry wished he'd paid more attention to Snape's lessons. Even if he was an asshole about it.

**o0o**

Dobby searched the infirmary, then moved on to the private stores of one Severus Snape. Thankfully the man was out of the castle at the moment otherwise the house elf would have been caught red handed with an arm full of potions to take back to his masters.

He returned to Master Hadrian's chambers, setting the potions on a folding table beside him before popping out again. Neither of his masters had moved, though he had heard a faint keening sound coming from Younger Master Harry briefly before the young man had settled back on the couch cushions again.

With one last stop to make, Dobby popped away and into the potions store of Professor Slughorn, searching out the rest of his list for his masters when he heard a strange noise coming from the next room.

Dobby abandoned his potions search and peered through the doorway. The usually cheerful and excitable house elf growled angrily and hissed. "Nasty Sluggy man. Nasty horrible terrible Sluggy man..." he growled, turning himself invisible and sliding into the room.

There was a peculiar part of house elf nature that many wizards believed had been bred out of the species hundreds, if not thousands, of years before. A particularly vicious part of their nature that if not bred out then was radically subdued thanks to certain... rather dark artifacts that many believed to no longer be in use.

This particular elf, had his former master thought enough to look at his particular pedigree when he first bought him, would have one of those artifacts buried in his body like his parents before him. But no, Lucius Malfoy thought it a waste of time to read through all of the paperwork he was given for this elf. It was perhaps a design by fate, then, that once free little Dobby was also free to be himself, and in doing so find himself with a much better and kinder master. A master that let him indulge in his natural, protective instincts.

And so it was a wee second year Slytherin girl was whisked away to the infirmary, setting off alarms to summon Madame Pomfrey to the child's distress as the elf returned to the secondary potions master's chambers mere seconds after whisking the child away.

"Nasty, terrible, horrible Sluggy man no harm students!" the house elf cried, becoming visible again and using house elf magic to attack the dumbstruck professor with his pants down.

**o0o**

Remus found his oldest friend sitting down at the beach as the Grim. He wrapped his cloak tighter around himself and sighed, sitting on the rocks nearby. "Come back inside. It's three in the morning, Padfoot."

The large black dog's tail thumped the sand as if to reply.

"I don't know what's gotten into you lately, but you need to pull yourself together before Harry comes home for break."

The tail thumped the sand again and Padfoot deliberately turned his snout away.

"It's cold out here and I don't intend to get sick because you've having one of your moods. I'd apperate us both but you always vomit on the rug when you do it like this."

If the large dog could smile, it would do so now. Instead, it gave a loud bark before standing up on the sand and giving himself a large shake. Remus sighed and stood, starting back up the path with his friend trailing behind, still in his dog form.

Ever since they had destroyed the locket, he had taken to staying as a dog more and more which worried the werewolf. The stupid man had snuck off to destroy the thing on his own instead of letting Remus help. When the other Marauder had found him in the forest, drawn by Sirius's shouts of alarm, it was to find him staring at his hands, the sword dropped on one side, the memory orb Peverell had sent them on his other, and the locket cleaved in two on a large log in the forest.

When they'd returned to the cottage he had watched his friend uncork the bottle of firewhisky they kept in the kitchen pantry before he had sat down to write a letter to their friend at Hogwarts.

And since then, he saw Padfoot more often than he saw Sirius.

It worried him, knowing that his friend saw the world more simply and it was easier to deal with his thoughts and emotions as a dog than it was as a human. Whatever had happened when he destroyed the horcrux had shaken the man to his very foundations and his actions now seemed designed to prevent him from having to face it.

He was shaken from his thoughts when he felt the cold snout on his hand. With a sad smile, he reached down and scratched behind the Grim's ears as they came within sight of the cottage again. "You will talk to me when you're ready, won't you Padfoot?" he asked the dog that trotted alongside him now rather than behind.

Padfoot gave a whine in answer before running ahead when a glimmering blue cat appeared further up the path.

"Remus, when you get this I need you to floo call me immediately. Something has happened to young Mr. Potter and I feel as the closest to family the boy has left you need to be informed."

The Patronus dissipated as Padfoot ran through it, Remus hot on his heels as they ran for the cottage.

**o0o**

_It was nothing like his dealings with Snape last year. It was... stranger than that. Where he had been able to force himself into the man's memory with a quickly cast Protego, here he found himself outside the headmaster's office with a phoenix that wasn't Fawkes perched on the gargoyle._

_"Professor? Evan?"_

_The bird bobbed it's head, afraid to try and speak. This... wasn't what the man had expected. Regardless he had work to do. His magic was like fire in the darkness as he reached out with it, trying to get a sense of things._

_"Can you... can you change back?"_

_The bird was still for a moment before flapping it's wings and taking flight down the long, dark corridor._

_"Hey! Get back here!" Harry called out, giving chase as the corridor started shifting and twisting. But the bird never flew too far ahead of him, making sure to stay in Harry's sight as he followed the pull of the teen's magical core._

**o0o**

Dobby stood proudly on the man's coffee table, hands on his hips as he observed his handiwork.

"Nasty Sluggy man won'ts be hurting no more students!" he declared, giving a curt nod of his head. Dobby was certain Old Master Harry would be pleased as punch at what he'd done, and that he had saved that poor child from an abysmal fate.

The portly old potions master's shouts were muffled by the fact that his lips were sealed shut. Not that he could have shouted much anyway with what Dobby had magically removed and shoved in there as a fitting punishment.

With a snap of his fingers, a parchment appeared with a peculiar seal. It was set on a table nearby before Dobby checked the wizard's bonds again. Another snap and the magic dampening chains that held the man to the wall were tightened and a cruel smile came to the house elf's face. "Bad wizard. Nasty wizard. Yous going to stay put and wait."

And with that, Dobby gave one more nod and popped away, leaving the frightened, slightly maimed, dirty old man chained to the wall with his pants off and his sausage minus the meatballs hanging in the cold air until morning.

**o0o**

"Stay back from the fire so she can't see you," Remus ordered the dog, who kept crowding in at the fire. "Sirius, I mean it. No one's supposed to know you're alive yet. Now go lay on your cushion."

The Grim growled at him. Frustrated and sick with worry, Remus turned to growl back, his eyes turning amber for just a few seconds. Padfoot nipped his arm before turning to go lay petulantly on his pillow, well out of sight of the floo.

"Now stay put," Remus said, grabbing a pinch of floo powder from the box by the fireplace. He sat down on his knees and tossed the powder in, calling for his friend and colleague's private rooms.

Moments later the old woman's head appeared in the grate. "Oh thank Merlin it found you. Harry has been injured."

"What happened, Minerva?"

She related to Remus everything told to her by Miss Granger and Mr. Longbottom, alluding to the fact that she knew about the map. After all, she'd had the Marauders under her care as well as the Weasley twins. It wasn't hard to put two and two together when the twins had a suspiciously familiar parchment that would insult anyone who tried to read it without the password.

Once she was through, she told him about Professor Peverell's insistence that he be the one to work with Harry on problem, and despite the respect she had for her colleague, he was still a stranger she had hardly known and was reticent to leave the boy in his care.

Remus glanced over at Padfoot a moment. The dog had it's head down on his front paws, but his ears were standing up and alert. He was listening to every word. "Minerva, will you wait for just a moment. I have something I need to discuss with my roommate."

"Of course. Do hurry. My old back gets rather stiff sitting like this too long."

He nodded to her and stepped away from the floo, nodding towards the kitchen. Padfoot stood up and trotted along with Remus behind him. By the time the werewolf was in the room, Sirius was standing up on two legs and had his arms crossed. "We need to tell her I'm alive."

"I thought as much. It's the only way we'll be able to get her to trust Hadrian fully. You know him better than Harry and I do anyway so it's best coming from you regardless."

"You'll need to make her swear an oath though. We can't let it get back to Albus that I'm alive. It works in our favor, and Harry's, if he still thinks I'm dead for as long as possible."

Remus agreed, and the two men went back into the sitting room. He crouched back down while Sirius stood out of sight. "Sorry for making you wait. About Hadrian... there's something you need to know. Nothing bad. In fact I'm prepared to trust the man with my life and Harry's. Before I tell you why, I need you to swear on your magic never to reveal what I'm about to tell you."

"Remus-"

"Please Minnie. I would never ask this of you if it weren't of the utmost importance. You were there at the will reading. You know James named anyone who went against it an enemy of his House. And after what you've told me tonight I'm inclined to believe it until told by Harry otherwise."

The old woman was quiet for a long moment before she sighed. "I don't have much choice if I want to get to the bottom of this, do I?"

"You have a choice. But it's in Harry's best interest if you go along with this."

The head in the fireplace sighed and nodded. "Alright. But you're sticking your head in while I do it. It's absolutely impossible to do otherwise."

He smiled softly, looking to Sirius who only gave a small nod of agreement. When her head pulled back, Remus stuck his in. He didn't have much time to look at the woman's private chambers before she held up her wand and made the oath. The light in the room flickered, her wand tip sent out a spark, and she nodded. "Now, what is this important information about our defense professor that I need to understand."

"Sirius is alive and Hadrian was the one that found him in the Department of Mysteries."

"What?! I don't believe it!" She pressed a hand to her chest and shot him a glare. "I know you love to joke around Remus John Lupin but this is incredibly insensitive of you! Your own..." She started to cry, but let her fury overcome her sorrow. "That is a sick joke young man and I won't stand for it!"

"He's here with me, so stick your head back through and have a look for yourself. Ask him things only Sirius would know if you don't believe me."

Remus pulled back and motioned for Sirius to join him. Minerva's head poked back through and she gave a shout of surprise.

Sirius gave a barking laugh. It was the first time in weeks Remus had seen him give such a genuine smile and laugh. "Hey Minnie Mouse."

The woman pursed her lips and gave him an appraising look. "The last time we spoke, what did you ask me to procure for you from the goblins at Gringotts?"

Remus watched his old friend's face as his expression softened. "I asked you to talk to my account manager for me and get a bottle of the Blood Adoption potion for Harry. I even gave you a small vial of my blood for them to use."

She drew in a shaky breath. "And what reason did you give me for it?"

"I've seen the damnable blood wards Albus claims are on that house and they're a joke! They'd only work if Harry considered the place home and he never has. I planned to give it to him for his birthday and give him the choice of being not just my heir but also my son."

"As I live and breathe..." she whispered in awe, then nodded at him. "You and I are going to have a very long conversation very soon. I will protect your secret. Am I to infer that Mr. Peverell's placement here at Hogwarts is more than just for the teaching position?"

Sirius nodded. "He made an Unbreakable Vow to me himself before I ever left my hospital bed that he will watch over and protect Harry in my place. And should anything happen to him, Hadrian will seek vengeance on our behalf."

"He swore to this?"

"Yes. And made no arguments against it when I demanded it of him. You can trust him, Minerva."

**o0o**

Nearly half an hour after the Slytherin girl had been dropped into the infirmary the correct antidotes were finally procured and administered, much of them found in the private stores of Professor Snape who had returned to the school not long after the child had been mysteriously brought in.

"Now we wait for the Polyjuice to wear off," she said, her stomach twisted in knots as the girl's head of house stood by to wait. He had already read the diagnostic report from the scanning charms the matron had performed. Fortunately whomever had... taken advantage of the child didn't complete. And the combination of potions in her system meant she likely wouldn't remember the last four to six hours.

They waited in silence, watching the sleeping girl until her form started to change. Long blonde hair shortening and her soft face morphing into a more hardened appearance. Severus Snape's typical frown became a scowl as he tried to reign in his anger. His nostrils flared as the body in the bed grew, ripping the girl's Slytherin uniform it wore as the chest became flatter but larger. The arms more muscled and defined. The skin grew darker.

"Send a message to Madame Zabini immediately. Do not tell her what has happened, only that her son has been involved in an unfortunate incident and his head of house is handling it."

"Severus-"

"Only after you have contacted his mother are you to get Albus. I don't care if you have to drag him out of bed by his obnoxiously long beard. I will not allow this to start happening again."

"A.... again?"

He did not answer her. Instead he turned on his heel and strode away, each step causing his robes to billow out behind him. Each step taken with tightly contained fury.

**o0o**

_"What is this..." Harry asked, holding his hand up to shield his eyes from the light. He had chased the phoenix that was, he supposed, his defense professor, through twisting corridors and along forest paths. Through abandoned train yards and what felt like endless fields._

_And now, there was just light._

_Bright as the stars in the sky and hot as the warm summer sun on his back in aunt Petunia's garden._

_"This is your magical core. More or less."_

_It was his own voice - and wow he sounded different when hearing it come from someone else. It also sounded older. And tired._

_"You're me!" he exclaimed, turning and squinting to see - well - himself. Dressed in clothes the same color as the phoenix was._

_"Is that what I look like here then? Well, at least I'm not a flaming chicken anymore."_

_"How are you me?"_

_"That's a conversation for another time. Right now your body is spiking a fever and I'm doing this one handed now while forcing potions down your throat to keep you from dying so... the faster we do this the better." He raised an arm, pointing off into the distance. "Right now, I need you to trust me so we can get rid of that."_

_Harry turned back around to see a large black mass, growing and writhing in the air above them. "Okay... how do we do that then?"_

_"You're still recovering from both the horcrux and relic stone removal last summer. Your core hasn't fully healed yet and your magic is still growing. You're also not yet at your majority so you haven't received the boost in magic that comes at that time." He felt two hands on his shoulders. "I'm going to add my magic to yours. But you have to be the one to force the foreign magic from your body. These had so much power put behind them that normal curse breaking can't undo them."_

_"Okay, but... is there an incantation or.... do I have my wand here?"_

_He heard a laugh. "Harry, we are literally inside your magical core. Surrounded by your pure magic. You think it, and it will happen. But you have to focus. If you need to, use your hands. Take a deep breath, and imagine yourself pushing against the mass."_

_Harry closed his eyes. He tried to think, but it was difficult to do. "I can't do it."_

_"Okay.... Let's do this another way. That mass of dark magic is in your very soul right now. It's killing you. What else can kill your soul?"_

_"Dementors?"_

_"Exactly. And what do we do with Dementors?"_

_At this, Harry nodded. He closed his eyes again and focused on his happiest memories. His happiest thoughts and dreams. Usually he called up his mother's voice... or the time he saw himself casting the full bodied stag to save Sirius and his other, a few hours younger self. This brought to mind finding Sirius in the goblin Hall of Healing. Of hearing his laugh at the cottage by the sea. Seeing him alive and well and actually HAPPY. Spending time with him... learning that Sirius had made him his heir..._

_"You can do this, Harry," the man behind him wearing his face said. "I'm right here with you."_

_He felt his magic flowing through him and raised his hand, pointing it towards the writhing mass that his core was attempting to fight off. This was his core, his inner self, his soul. The magic here would obey his command and have the effect his intent would give it._

_His eyes opened, a green fire burning within them and from his lips came the mighty roar of a lion. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he cried and from the air - from the depths of his soul - the magic welled up and the large stag Prongs jumped over the two men, larger than normal with a green fire burning in it's heart. A shrill note of phoenix song broke the air as a large flaming bird followed the stag._

_"Wha-"_

_"That one's mine. Probably should have warned you about that."_

_"No... no makes sense. You're- well, you're lending me your magic, too."_

_"Focus Harry. Use them to push against the mass. To push it back and out of your core. Then I can break them." Harry nodded as the hands squeezed his shoulders in a show of support. Together Harry and his older self fought against the dark. Using the patroni to force it into submission. To shrink it and banish it._

_When there was just one last little bit to go, Hadrian let go. "It's up to you now," he said, his phoenix fading as he pulled away, pulling himself out of his younger counterpart's core and mind._

When he came to his senses he found empty potion bottles piled on the floor beside him and an angry house elf staring at him.

"Dobby tried to get Master's attention but Master would not wake," he said, handing Hadrian a piece of cloth. "Master needs to wipe his face. Master has blood coming out of his nose."

Hadrian took the cloth and wiped at his face, frowning as he looked down at the blood, then wiped again. "Bollocks. It took to long," he muttered as he tilted his head back. "Can you cancel the silencing charm on Harry while I go clean myself up. He should be coming to any time now and I need to listen for him." He stood and headed for his bedroom, and through there to his loo.

After spelling his shirt clean and stopping the blood-flow, he stopped to look out his bedroom window for a few minutes. He sighed, leaning against the sill and taking in the first rays of the sun when Dobby came and tugged at the hem at the back of his shirt.

"Dobby must tell Master what Dobby found when fetching potions."

He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly in a sigh. Someday, he would get some sleep.

That day was not today.

"Alright. But I need something to eat. Using that much magic, and doing mind magic at the same time, is exhausting. And a bite for Harry when he wakes wouldn't be amiss either."

Dobby smiled brightly and disappeared. He reappeared a few minutes later with a tray of toast, eggs, muffins, fruit, and a pitcher of orange juice. He set these on an end table beside the sofa and Hadrian cast a few diagnostic spells over Harry again, noting the strength of the charms that was cast on him had severely lessened.

These he broke easily while munching on a strip of bacon, and Harry sighed in his sleep, turning some to snuggle into the cushions. Dobby fetched a blanket from Hadrian's bed and covered him with it before bouncing about at his master's side.

"Alright. Now tell me what happened that's got you in such a good mood."

"Dobby fetched potions from Missus Poppy and from angry bat man's closet."

"You stole from Snape?!"

"Master did not tell Dobby not to. Young Master Harry needed potions so Dobby collected potions just as Old Master Harry said."

"Hadrian. Remember, Harry is here."

Dobby nodded. "Dobby went to take from Sluggy man and found Sluggy man doing terrible things to student so Dobby punished just as Master said to do."

"What?!" He dropped his second strip of bacon and frowned. "Dobby, you didn't kill him did you? Is the student alright?"

"Dobby took student to Missus Poppy and then did not kill nasty Sluggy man." The house elf said the last with disgust. "Master said Dobby could maim. So Dobby punished."

Hadrian lost his appetite and pushed his plate away. He did put a warming and a stasis charm on the food for when Harry woke up. "Can memories from house elves be taken and put in a pensieve?"

"Oh yes, Master Hadrian. Dobby will happily do this so yous can see what Dobby did."

"Later, my friend. First I need you to take a message to Professor McGonogall for me. Tell her I've finished with Harry and he is resting comfortably now. I will send him to Poppy later today for an official once over and then if she says he is free to go then he can return to the dorm as normal."

Dobby bowed and left him. Hadrian sighed and went to his bookshelf and took out his copy of Tales of Beetle the Bard. Light reading that might help him get to sleep in one of the chairs near the sofa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This entire chapter takes place in one night over the course of some hours.  
> I won't elaborate too much later but assume Snape was summoned by Moldyshorts and that's why he wasn't there.  
> As far as what Dobby found Slughorn doing, I tried to be as vague as I could while at the same time getting the point across. I hope you liked how Dobby punished him.


	10. The Gaining of Allies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Harry = teenage Harry  
> Hadrian, Evan, Professor Peverell, etc = Future/AU Harry

He came to when a phoenix burst into his room. Or rather, a glowing blue one.

"Hadrian I know it is rather early but I would like to see you in my office immediately."

He groaned and rubbed at his eyes, looking towards the sofa where Harry was laying silently. Emerald eyes watched the Patronus before it faded away before his gaze moved to his teacher.

Hadrian didn't seem to notice, giving a groan and casting a quick tempus. He managed to get around an hour's worth of sleep. Well, it was better than nothing he supposed. He stood, his book falling to the floor between his trainers as he cracked his back. Then rubbed at his eyes again. Out of old habit, he reached for the folding table in search of glasses, finding only unused potion bottles.

Groaning again, he shuffled towards his bedroom. Harry lay watching the man curiously before closing his eyes back. He listened to the man's footsteps and the sounds of him in the chambers. Once Professor Peverell had moved past the sofa, and before Harry could open his eyes again, he heard the man speak.

"My elf brought breakfast. It's been under a stasis and warming charm. Eat what you can. There's also a brick of dark chocolate on my desk for you. Eat as much as you like of it. It'll make you feel better."

"You're starting to sound like Remus," the teen said hoarsely.

"Well, the man has good advice. Minerva knows where you are so don't worry about getting in trouble. Don't leave these rooms. When you need the loo, it's through the bedroom. I'll be back. If you need anything summon Dobby. I don't need to tell you how happy he'll be to help."

Without another word his professor left, the door locking behind him. Harry pushed himself up, looking around for his glasses. He found them folded on the end table next to the breakfast platter.

This was the first time he'd seen these chambers. Most of the DADA professors chose to use the rooms adjacent to their offices, but Professor Peverell had decided to take a different suite. Harry couldn't remember much from after he left the headmaster's office. And he honestly couldn't tell how he'd gotten here or who had brought him.

He peered at the breakfast. One plate clearly had been partially picked at, so he took the other and dispelled the stasis charm on it with a simple finite. Or so he thought. The plate disappeared entirely. He frowned and reached for some of the muffins, deciding against canceling the stasis charm and just eating it. That seemed to work fine so it and some fruit were soon washed down with juice.

Once he'd eaten his fill he looked around the chambers again before getting to his feet. He'd been ordered to rest, and he would, but not before checking to make sure he knew where his exits were. Or a visit to the loo.

"Where was it again... Bedroom. Right."

He headed that way, carefully navigating around furniture and books that had been pulled out and left wherever they ended up. The bedroom when he passed through was no better. Clothes were strewn about all over the floor or draped over furniture. One sock was hanging from the bed curtains. He shook his head and sought out the door for the loo.

He expected in here to be just as much of a disaster as the rest of the chambers. It was a pleasant surprise to find it near immaculate save for a few plastic containers and bits of beige stained foam on the counter top of the sink.

"Make up?" Harry asked himself, then shrugged and did his business.

He inspected the faucet and found no knobs to turn or levers to move about. Curious he reached for the faucet to see if there was some kind of way to turn the tap on when warm soapy water suddenly shot out over his hands. He pulled his hands back and the water stopped. Then he reached forward, sliding one hand under the faucet and it started again.

Smiling childishly he did this a few times before giving up his little game and washing his hands. After three minutes he found the water changed from soapy to clear so that he could rinse them. Harry quickly found a hand towel hanging from the wall nearby and dried his hands before passing back into the sitting room again.

He found the brick of chocolate had been moved to sit on the breakfast platter.

"Okay, I get it. Eat the chocolate."

**o0o**

Hadrian pondered what could Albus possibly be summoning him for as he strode purposefully down the corridor towards the gargoyle. Had Minerva already gone to his office to notify him about Harry? That made sense since that was the bit of excitement he had been dealing with during the night. Though depending on what Dobby might have done...

When he arrived at the gargoyle he realized he didn't have the password, and could already hear shouting up above. "Yikes. I would hate to be them right now."

"You're telling me."

Hadrian looked up and frowned.

"You must be the new guy," the green haired woman said, offering her hand. "Auror Tonks."

He gave a nod and a tight smile. "Hadrian Peverell," he said. "But you probably already knew that."

"Yeah. Read about you in the paper. Good work you did with undoing all those hexes and curses on the kids."

"We're still not done yet. There's a few students I still have to see before winter break, and those who are still in the long term spell damage ward. Though we do expect Miss Weasley home by Christmas, and her OWLs, from what I understand, are being put off for early next school year so she can catch up over the summer."

Auror Tonks nodded as she took in the information. "Well, I won't keep you," she said when the gargoyle moved out of the way and the spiral steps came down.

"Madame Zabini," Hadrian said, giving a small bow to the stunning, but angry woman who came out of the office with Auror Shacklebolt behind her.

"You," she said sternly, dark eyes looking him over. "When the old fool has finished with you, you will go to this.... this pig's rooms and rip him from the wall so that I may see justice done."

Hadrian frowned. Dobby hadn't told him who it was, only that... He locked his rising anger behind his Occlumency walls and gave a terse nod. "Of course Madame. Auror Tonks," he said, turning to the now red haired woman. "If you call the house elf Flippy, she will take you to the... chambers in question so that you do not get lost. I will join you as soon as I can to offer any assistance you may require."

"Thank you, Professor," Auror Shacklebolt said. "I'll escort her ladyship back to the infirmary."

Once they had left, he sighed and turned back to the steps, the gargoyle still out of the way. "Wish me luck old boy," he said, patting the cheek of the stone creature before ascending the steps. There was still shouting going on and it was clear Severus Snape was angry as a bull. Hadrian didn't bother to knock, knowing the old bastard probably had monitoring charms on the stairway. Plus, he was invited and expected.

Taking a deep breath he squared his shoulders and reached for the doorknob, giving it a turn and flinging it open. "What's this I hear about a child under our care being drugged and raped?!" he shouted. "What in the seven hells is going on here?! What happened to the intent wards that are meant to forcibly evict anyone seeking to harm a student?!"

It was clear from the non-twinkling blue eyes that Albus Dumbledore was about to have a very bad day.

Snape turned his attention to the new arrival with a sneer. "The what?"

"Intent wards. There's three paragraphs devoted to explaining the wards in Hogwarts: A History. I specifically remember reading the sentence about how intent wards work because it also mentioned that the type was also used at Gringotts. Very fascinating read. But that's not what we're here to talk about." He leveled his angry Killing Curse green gaze on the headmaster. "Whomever did this had better see the inside of a cell and quickly. I suppose there will be an investigation by the DMLE and a trial?"

No, Albus Dumbledore wasn't going to have a good day indeed.

**o0o**

Hermione and Neville peered at the map between them on the couch. "He's still there, but the professor left a while ago."

"Maybe he's not supposed to leave yet," Neville suggested.

Hermione shook her head and pointed to the map. "He's moving around the rooms at least. So we know he's okay."

Ron peered over the back of the sofa. "Have you guys seen Harry? His bed's not been slept in."

Hermione canceled out the map and folded it up to tuck into her robe. "Come around and sit," she said. When Ron was settled in between them where the map had once been, she cast some privacy charms and started to tell him about finding Harry, Neville pitching in when he thought she wasn't telling it right.

Now, Ron was never the best or brightest student. Not in the way Hermione was. And he didn't have the raw talent to fall back on like his best mate either. But Ron wasn't stupid. Idly he toyed with the amulet still hanging around his neck, holding it now as he moved his hand just a little from side to side in front of him, stretching the cord out as far as it would go as he thought about what his friends had told him. The implications of their words didn't escape his notice. The old Ron, the bewitched Ron would have been jealous of Harry's private lessons. He would have seen them as special treatment for an already "special" wizard. Without them he could think clearer when it came to his best friend.

"You know..." Ron started slowly. "I had wondered why he thought it was a good idea to hide a bloody philosopher's stone in a school full of curious kids."

Hermione sighed in relief. "Don't let your mum hear you talk like that. Listen to her you'd think the headmaster hung the moon."

"Yeah, well, I reckon if me and Ginny were under some kind of jinxes, she might want to get her head checked, too." He got up, and stuffed his amulet into his shirt. "Come on. I'm starved. If we catch Professor McGonogall after breakfast we can find out how Harry's doing."

**o0o**

Harry was restless. He'd finished off his breakfast. The juice was refilled on it's own, and the chocolate had been broken up and nibbled all morning. He had gone through the bookcase, looked at all of the papers on the floor. Attempted to snoop through the desk and found one drawer he couldn't unlock no matter how many unlocking spells he tried.

Whatever had been cast on that drawer must have been cast on the door as well because it too was locked tight. Harry had just been contemplating climbing out the bedroom window when the door swung open and a very pleased looking Professor Peverell strode in. "Dobby! I believe my appetite has finally come back," he said as the elf popped in when called.

"What does Master Hadrian want of his Dobby?"

"A bacon sandwich sounds about right at the moment. With some scrambled egg, maybe a slice of cheddar, and a little butter on each slice of toast." He paused, then grinned. "And get a treat for yourself, too Dobby. You did good work last night and I'm very proud of you."

"Oh thank you! Thank you!" Dobby cried, jumping in place before hugging his leg. "Master Hadrian is proud of his Dobby!"

He chuckled and patted the house elf on the head before the creature popped away. Once alone, he sighed and looked around. "You can come out now, Harry. I don't bite."

Harry emerged from the bedroom and was far from pleased. "You've locked me in like a prisoner."

"You were meant to be resting and I didn't want you disturbed. What we had to do last night is very draining on a fully mature wizard let alone one who hasn't reached majority. You need plenty of rest and chocolate to build your strength back up."

"I feel fine."

"Yes, I imagine you do with the boost of magic I fed into you. Once you've burned through that you're going to be rather tired and sore as your reserves build back up and your natural protections mend. Not to mention the family magic needs time to repair the damage done when that old bastard broke through the magical barriers and forced those spells on you." By the time he reached the end, Hadrian was practically snarling his words in anger. He dropped himself into one of his comfortable chairs and summoned the book he'd been reading from the floor. Closing it, he set it aside just as Dobby had returned with his breakfast.

"Thank you, Dobby," he murmured, giving the house elf another pat on the head before he left.

Harry stepped further into the room, navigating his way back to the sofa and sitting at the end furthest from his defense professor. He watched the man cautiously as he ate his sandwich.

"When you went into my mind, that's not how that normally happens is it?" Harry said after a long while.

"No," he said. "Then again from what I understand nothing about you is ever normal." He licked his fingers, catching the crumbs that stuck to the grease from the bacon and the butter with his tongue. Then he wiped his hand on his jeans without much thought. "Did you want to talk about it?"

"What was that? Snape had me under Legillimens multiple times and it was never like that. And how did you do that thing with my core? Were you really a phoenix? Why did you look like me, but older?"

Hadrian laughed darkly. "Slow down. I can only answer one at a time." He held up his hand as if to stop the barrage of questions. "What I did last night was Legillimency only I pushed the boundaries of what it can do. No one really knows how far you can push them until you have to. And yes I was a phoenix. I wasn't expecting my animagus form to be used because it wasn't like that the other time I've done that."

"You're an animagus?" Harry leaned forward, hands pressed between his knees as he looked on his professor with wide, eager eyes. "You have to teach me."

"I didn't learn the normal way, Harry. And no I will not teach you the way I learned," Hadrian said. He didn't have the heart to tell the kid he didn't have a form. "You'll need to talk to our four legged friends about that," he said instead. "Something that can be arranged over the winter break."

Harry frowned at him before rolling his eyes and falling back against the padded back of his professor's sofa. Hadrian smiled. "Honestly I wouldn't know where to begin with it. But I can teach you other things. I'd wager private lessons with me would be more useful than the mess you're getting off old Bushy Brows."

Green eyes narrowed slightly, scrutinizing him. Hadrian frowned when he took in the boy's face. Now he understood Hermione and Ron's disdain when they caught him staring at Malfoy all through sixth year. How more obvious could he have been with a face like that. "You asked me about a pensieve, I think. When you did that thing."

He nodded. "You kept fading in and out. Never turn your back to someone you don't trust while using one of those things. The memory can imprint on the mind. It takes a while to wear off without intervention." Hadrian crossed one leg over the other, sitting with his hands in his lap as he observed his younger self. He watched the face that was so familiar and yet so different from the one he wore now as Harry worked through his thoughts.

The tip of the teen's tongue stuck out the corner, and the professor had to suppress a small smile. He still did that, even all these years later. He cleared his throat, disrupting his concentration. "I imagine that if he were to simply place all of his collected memories about Mr. Riddle together for you to view at one time it would take no more than three to four hours, stopping for breaks and small discussion of course." He watched as the teen's face darkened. Clearly he wasn't meant to know what the so-called private lessons were about. The fact that he knew made Harry rather suspicious of him - as he rightly should be. The older version of him remembered well the climate in the middle of the war. Didn't know who to trust, who was a double or triple agent. Who was under imperius and who was just a complete prick.

"Funny how information you need to know as soon as possible gets little explanation and stretched out over the course of probably an entire school year. Everyone else might believe you're too young to know all of it, but how can anyone expect a child to fight a battle most grown wizards and witches fear to even consider. If the headmaster is so powerful then why doesn't he do it himself? The curse on my job has even ensured you've not been trained properly. Surely Albus must know the handicap you're working with here."

"Albus Dumbledore is a great wizard," Harry said, despite his personal problems with the man of late. "Without him we would be overrun already. People like Hermione would be herded up and killed just for the crime of being born."

"I whole heartedly agree with you Harry. But you must admit to yourself if not to me that you know he has made some questionable decisions when it comes to you. He kept secrets from you that ultimately led to Sirius getting himself killed."

"But he's not dead! He's home with Remus!"

"He's alive now, yes. But for a few weeks there he was truly dead. I'm sorry, but this is the truth. And had you already been told about that bloody prophesy you never would have had cause to seek it out and play right into Voldy-polly's hands."

"Why do you keep doing that?! Just say the name! Stop coming up with other-"

"Because the name is cursed you damned fool! Has been for years! Why do you think no one will say it!"

Silence settled over the private chambers of the current defense professor. Hadrian uncrossed his legs and got to his feet, pacing before the fireplace before running a hand through his hair and chewing on his lip in frustration. He'd been careful not to let his normal mannerisms show through the facade he had built as Lord Peverell in the short time he'd been in this timeline, but moments like these it was easy to forget... "Look Harry. This is another of those bits the old man never told you. No one will because most people don't know exactly what it is. I didn't find out until it was too late. They just know that if you say the name, he and his followers can find you. Wherever you are. They can get through most, but not all, wards. Here, we are safe. At your new home you are also safe. I made sure of it when I bought it for you, Sirius, and Remus."

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't fear him and I don't fear the name," he said, shaking his head and holding up his hand to stop the boy from interrupting him and calling him a liar. "I just have enough sense not to go around poking giant angry snakes, then complain when I get bit. He's turned his name into what's called a Taboo. When spoken aloud..." he began, easily falling into the same tone and manner he took while teaching theory in his class. He explained, without the intimate details on how to make one, what exactly a Taboo was and the consequences of invoking one. He drew on personal experience - supplying different names for Ron and Hermione of course - to give the young man some real world examples.

By the time he'd finished, Harry stared at him with his mouth agape and his eyes wide in what Hadrian recognized as a look of shock and horror. When Harry closed his mouth and set his jaw in determination, his tone told more than his face did of his simmering anger. "All this time I've been telling people... Dumbledore has been telling people to... And it's been getting them killed!"

"Maddening, isn't it? One little, seemingly harmless act of defiance spoken in the wrong place and you get an entire family, an entire street or community slaughtered in seconds."

"And he did this back in the first war?"

"Once a wizard makes something Taboo, only he or his death can remove it. But like most curses there are ways to work around it. Such as removing a class and adding it back with a new name. Or using the man's birth name. Though personally I am quite fond of Moldyshorts and other creative variations."

**o0o**

Hadrian had sent word with one of the Hogwarts elves to Minerva after Harry had gone back to sleep. It had been after lunch and Dobby had brought them quite a little feast. The woman that, in another lifetime had been like a grandmother to him had knocked on his door quietly. With a wave of his hand from his desk he let her into his rooms.

"Sorry I didn't bring up Harry with Albus this morning Minerva," he said, rising to offer her his desk chair. She glanced towards the sofa she had passed on the way to her colleague's desk and sighed. After having spoken with Remus and, surprise of surprises Sirius Black of all people, she had been uncertain what she could even say to the man she had worked with for so many years. "Would you like to have a seat? Some tea perhaps?"

"I fear we may need something rather stronger than tea my young friend." He gave her a nod and motioned for her to move towards the chairs nearer the sofa.

"I'll just finish up my letters and we can get down to brass tacks then."

She gave him a short nod before finding and taking a seat where she could see Harry's sleeping face. He was wrapped in a heavy black and red blanket. In this light, he looked remarkably better than he had the night before. No longer so pale and sickly, but still with bags under his eyes that she had not seen since he had returned to the school back in September.

Peverell took the folding table back out from where he had tucked it earlier in the day. Two short glasses and a bottle of muggle scotch followed. "Hope you like it straight," he said, pouring them each one. His free hand picked up his own as he set the bottle down on the table. With a flick of a few fingers, his favorite chair moved forward so that the pair of them could have a quieter discussion over drinks.

"Why did you not tell me that Sirius Black was alive?"

"Coming strong right out of the gate with that one aren't you," he said back, taking a drink from his glass. "To be honest, we didn't know who we can trust and from what Sirius has told me about everyone in Harry's life, you've been one of the headmaster's strongest and most vocal supporters."

"A position that I am sad to say I find myself reconsidering of late. Especially considering..." she trailed off to take a sip of her drink before she said something she may later regret. "I would not be leaving much for the Aurors to collect if the filthy man had gotten hold of one of my cubs."

Hadrian wanted to smile, but settled for sipping his scotch instead to hide the curving of his lips. He'd seen the formidable woman in battle. Before that he'd seen her take multiple stunners to the back before she could be brought down. It did not take much for him to imagine a confrontation between the seemingly harmless Slughorn and the fierce lioness that hid beneath those tabby stripes.

"Well, he was caught before any further damage could be done. Imagine if he had been left unchecked all year." He sighed and sat back further in his chair. Green eyes glancing towards his sleeping charge. "My only hope is that anyone else this may have happened to in the past comes forward when the trial happens, though I doubt it. I'd wager Mr. Zabini won't remember a thing from last night."

"Perhaps it's better that way," Minerva said softly, draining her glass and setting it on the table. The pair sat in silence for only a moment as she turned her attention back to Harry. "How is he? Really?"

"He still needs to be checked by Poppy but other than that he's eating fine. Catching up on his sleep. Mentally and emotionally... well... he's just has his entire world rocked again by someone he trusted. These so-called private lessons with the headmaster won't be continuing."

"Is that where he was when-"

"Yes. Looking into a pensieve. His eyes kept glazing over as I was examining him." Hadrian looked down in his half empty glass before draining it and leaning forward to pour himself another. He held up the bottle to offer her a refill, but she shook her head tersely to decline. "In future, Harry cannot be left alone with him."

"If this is the result I quite agree with that. And will do my best to ensure it does not happen."

Hadrian considered their situation. On the one hand, when he had checked the staff of the school, he had found Minerva to be clean of outside influence. He had been shocked, and chastised himself later over a stiff drink for his assumptions. She was merely very strong in her convictions and loyal to those who gave her no cause to doubt them. Though she had been in the crowd with the others at the reading of the Potter's will. And he knew now, all these years later, that she was there the night he was left on the Dursley doorstep. Perhaps hearing the words from what amounted to the ghost of James Potter himself declare anyone that went against their wishes... Perhaps that was the start of the formidable McGonogall's crisis of conscience in regards to the esteemed Headmaster, Chief Warlock and Supreme Mugwump....

He scoffed, catching the older woman off guard with his sudden change of mood as he pondered briefly what a Supreme Mugwump even was. Even his fellow Unspeakables could never sort it out. No one had heard of the position until one day the great Dumbledore was declared as such. "Minerva," he started, trying to find the right words to say - or at least the right way to phrase his circling thoughts. He needed an ally in the Order as much as he needed one in Voldemort's camp. Remus, his dear adoptive uncle, could not be his inside man among Dumbledore's ranks. He'd be sent out constantly on missions whereas the grandmotherly Minerva...

He made up his mind, foolish though this decision likely was, to give to her the same trust he had given his own Minerva in the final stages of the war and beyond.

"Yes Hadrian?"

"I'm not truly from Australia."

"I had assumed as much. Your accent gives you away, as does the familiarity with which you talk about the politics here. As if you've lived in England all your life. Has anything you've told us been the truth?"

"Mostly," he said, lowering his voice before throwing up privacy charms so strong he doubted even Hermione could break through them. Once he'd finished he slid his wand back into his holster before his old professor even knew he'd drawn it. "I am a Peverell by blood twice over. Once on my father's side of the family and then a blood adoption into another branch when I got here." He glanced over to Harry before turning his chair so that his back was more towards the sofa obscuring the boy's view should he wake and take an interest. "But I've only recently taken up the name," he added, reaching up to rake a hand through his hair, dragging his fingers and palm across his skin to smear the make-up he wore to cover the scar. "After all, there can't be two of us."

"I think I'll have that second drink now if you don't mind," she said, leaning forward to take the bottle and pour herself another, her gaze leaving his face only so that she may see to pour. "First Sirius is alive, Horace is a.... well I won't even dignify that creature with what I think he is... and now... I feel as if I've truly lost my sanity." She took a large gulp of her scotch, making a face as it went down before chasing it with another. "Sweet Circe... No wonder Severus can't seem to stand you. Perhaps on some instinctual level he can sense that beneath all this glamour you're, well, you."

"This isn't a glamour. This is how I look now. It's... it's complicated."

"When it comes to you, young man, complicated is simply the standard."

He smiled, and now that she knew his biggest secret she could see the traces of the boy he had been, growing up before her very eyes. The shyness in his eyes and the funny little quirk at the corner of his mouth when he tried to hide his smiles. "Does anyone else know?"

"Sirius knows. And that is a story for another day with a much stronger drink than this."

They sat behind Harry's privacy charms, with him telling her things only Harry would know. Of conversations he and his former transfiguration professor had in private between them. Only when Harry on the sofa, unable to successfully pretend to sleep much longer, began to stir did she ask him why he entrusted her with such a powerful secret.

And so he told her. He did not dress it up in fancy language or words of manipulation. "A time will come after my allies and I remove the threat of the Dark Lord. At which point I'll be turning my attention towards Albus."

"Surely you don't mean to start a war against him as well?"

"Only if my hand is forced. I am content with bringing his crimes to light and letting justice be served as it should. But if he chooses to make an enemy of me..." He let the unspoken threat hang. "I don't want innocents caught in the crossfire. When I turn my attention to Albus, all I ask is that you support me in whatever way is easiest on your conscience. And if not, then please Professor," he said, knowing he almost sounded like his old self. "My respect and my fondness for you compels me to beg that you stay out of my way until my scores are settled."

She sat in silence, finishing her drink as the younger version of the man before her sat up and rubbed at his eyes as if just waking up. She knew him better than that by now, at least she hoped. She felt a cold shiver down her spine as the privacy charms were dispelled.

"When you're more awake, Mr. Potter, the three of us will head down to the infirmary. You need a check over and I need to restock my pepper ups potion supply." He stood, carefully to keep his face turned away from the boy on the sofa as he went into his bedroom. When he had returned she allowed her gaze to subtly shift to his forehead above his right eye... where there was no longer a scar marring his skin.

Sometimes... the muggle methods were the best for hiding secrets.

**o0o**

Once free of his forced convalescence Harry was allowed to return to Gryffindor tower with strict instructions to get plenty of rest over the remainder of the weekend.

He had little intention to do so. Instead he wished to thank Neville for helping Hermione before dragging his closest friends off so he could catch them up on... well... he wasn't sure what all he could tell them. But he knew he couldn't lie to them. Especially to Hermione.

Unfortunately there wasn't anywhere they could safely talk, so instead when he gathered his homework to work on at the table with his friends, he quietly murmured to Ron and Hermione, and Neville too, that after everyone else went to bed he wanted them in the common room to talk about the night before.

Ron asked him what he wanted to talk about. The thing that happened to him, or the thing that happened to that other potions teacher? That had caused Harry to frown, remembering some passing comments between Professor Peverell and Dobby the elf.

**o0o**

Dinner in the Great Hall was a subdued affair for most. Professor Peverell was late, something that wasn't at all unusual as it had become well known the man often kept odd hours and didn't always show up for the scheduled meals. He took his customary place beside Professor McGonogall, the two of them speaking quietly before he turned his attention to his meal.

Green eyes roamed the room, seeking out Harry first and finding him sitting amongst his friends. His gaze lingered briefly before moving across the room to scan the Slytherin table. A gap at the edge of Draco Malfoy's usual court - the place where Blaise Zabini usually sat - was the only evidence of Slughorn's illicit activities the night before.

Inwardly he was smiling, almost gleeful as he recalled what he had seen just that morning. Dobby had even been so kind as to leave a note behind, using a seal similar to that which was used by the Order of the Phoenix, but not quite the same... After all, Dumbledore had stolen that bit of imagery from the past as well. Not anything of Harry's personally, but of another of the long lost bloodlines of Wizarding Royalty.

Outwardly he showed only concern when, near the end of the meal, the aged headmaster rose to make an announcement. Hadrian paid it little mind as a house elf - not Dobby this time - appeared at the elbow of Slytherin's head of house with a small silver plate and a letter upon it. Once taken and slipped into his robes, the elf disappeared again and Hadrian rolled his eyes. Slughorn falling victim to a "unfortunate potions incident" indeed.

He couldn't help but snort, causing a few looks down his way before he regained control of his face. "Sorry," he said softly to the teacher to his immediate right. She taught Arithmacy, if he remembered correctly. "I had to help the aurors this morning," he added quietly as an explanation for his outburst. She paled and gave a small nod as Dumbledore took his seat again.

**o0o**

Hadrian was waiting in the boathouse, making no attempt to hide himself when he felt the magic in the air shift and the faint tingle of a familiar shade of magic drawing nearer. Death, it seemed, was drawn to dark marks like they were a sweet delicacy. Perhaps they were - a tiny and otherwise insignificant piece of the one soul since the ancient Peverells to have eluded it more than Harry himself ever had.

He smiled to himself softly, picking up a second hint of the cloying scent of death magic. Fresh and new and drawing Death to it like a starving man in a desert. A whisper of 'murderer' in the back of his senses - that place in the shadows of his own mind where the Hallows had once made their magic part of his own. Relief, was what Hadrian felt, when he silently acknowledged the whisper.

Relief that it had been murder that Draco was forced to commit rather than rape in order to earn that mark on his arm.

"He can stay hidden if he likes," Hadrian said with his back still to the door leading out to the path towards the castle. "After all, it is you Severus I wished to speak to. Not the boy."

The disillusionment dropped and Hadrian turned with his hands empty. "You wouldn't attack an unarmed man, now would you Severus?"

"From what I've seen you need not be armed," the man replied coldly. "What is the meaning of this Peverell?"

"You're welcome for Slughorn, by the way. Never liked the bastard."

"That was you? How? The aurors reported there were no traces of a magical signature-"

"There wouldn't be a wizard's signature because a wizard never touched him," he said simply. "House elves, especially loyal ones, are useful creatures. Besides I have an airtight alibi for my whereabouts. Minerva herself will vouch for my activities last night. I was helping Potter break compulsion and obedience charms that were cast on him while he was using a pensieve."

The teenage boy nearby scoffed. "Potter is-"

"A good alibi to have when removing Professors from this school," Snape said. "Your missive spoke of information you have that the headmaster nor the Dark Lord posses."

"I do. And I'm willing to share that information with you in return for certain assistance."

"You'll have to do better than that, Peverell."

Hadrian nodded, reaching into his cloak, making sure to move slowly so neither he nor Draco would get any ideas above their pay grade. He removed a pouch and tossed it to the potions master. "Open it."

He passed the pouch to Draco, who pulled the strings and opened the pouch and peered inside. "It's just vials."

"Dig a bit deeper boy, it won't bite. The bag has an undetectable extension charm doubling the size inside."

Draco sneered at him, but did as he was told. Reaching in he felt around before finding a bundle and pulling his hand back out. The bundle was warm to the touch, and tucking the pouch under one arm he used both hands to unroll the bundle.

"Phoenix feathers," Severus stated dryly. "I was unaware Fawkes was in a giving mood."

"What can I say, he likes me. And there's plenty more where that came from. Inside is phoenix blood and tears as well. Different sizes of feathers. Mostly from the wings but I can get you some tail feathers or some from the head if you prefer. The ones on the head though are a little tricky to harvest."

Draco re-rolled the bundle and put it back inside the pouch, reaching in to grasp a vial and remove it. "Scales?"

"From the feet. And there's a couple claws as well. Troublesome to get, so don't use them up too soon. There's some ash as well, though not as much as I'd have liked to get."

"And the bird just allowed you to take what you wished without consequence? Without the headmaster knowing?"

Hadrian shrugged. Like he was going to tell the man the honest truth of the matter. If he looked closer at the feathers he'd see they weren't from Fawkes at all. But he didn't need to know that. "Well? I will keep you supplied in phoenix parts, tears, blood, you name it. In exchange... information and, when the time comes, do not get between me and the headmaster."

"Information I can do, provided you maintain your end of the agreement."

"Professor you can't!"

Snape held up his hand to silence the protest. "The rest I cannot."

Hadrian gave a small nod and glanced towards Draco. "Then it appears we have two choices gentlemen. Neither choice is one I particularly enjoy but needs must." He reached into his cloak again, pulling out a scroll. "This is a dark art's spell from Cambodia. If you must be the one to do the deed, use this instead of the killing curse. As long as the counter curse and that potion written there is administered within one hour of the curse being cast, the victim will survive."

Severus looked over the scroll, frowning. "Some of these parts will be difficult to locate given the amount of time we have to work."

"I can help with anything you don't already have."

"Where am I going to get a Grim's tooth?"

Hadrian smiled. "I... have an idea. I will have two for you after the holiday. Should it be needed."

"What is the other alternative?" Severus asked, rolling up the scroll and passing it back to Draco.

"I kill the bastard before you have to kill the headmaster."

"Impossible. Only the Potter brat-"

Hadrian cast a silent stunner at Draco, chained with a cushioning charm to prevent him from becoming injured. Snape had his wand out and trained at Peverell's throat in a heartbeat.

"Mr. Malfoy is unharmed, Severus. But do not revive him just yet. I do not think his shields are strong enough to hold the Dark Lord's best kept secrets. The ring and the diary I'm sure Albus has told you about. And he's told you of Harry's scar, too, hasn't he?"

The wand dug into his throat a bit harder.

"I did not know you found Lily first that night. You held her lifeless body and cried. I've always wanted to ask you something, sir," he said, reaching up to smear the make-up on his forehead, making sure his hair was out of the way and his old scar could be seen. "Why did you leave me there in the crib when you left? You left a fifteen month old child to sit and stare at his mother's dead body, crying for her to comfort him, for hours before Sirius and Hagrid came."

Severus staggered back. "Impossible.... This cannot be."

"And yet here I am. Only three others know. One, I cannot say. Minerva I told not long ago. The third, Dobby, became my personal house elf after he discovered my identity."

"House elves are notoriously loyal," Severus said. "To those they prefer."

Hadrian's slight nod told Severus the man knew of Kreature's betrayal, though his words spoke of more sinister things. "You're in both inner circles. Tell me, did Snakeface feel it when his precious objects were destroyed? I've always wondered if he realized his mistake when the one inside me was destroyed at his own hand."

A single brow rose before Severus scowled at him, but said nothing.

"I need information from both sides. I was never allowed in the Order meetings because Molly was far too protective of the children, despite the mutt's insistence that I sit in and learn the truth. And obviously the flaming flamingos never got the whole story either."

"What's to stop me from turning around and telling either of them who you are?"

"Nothing. I won't bind you like that bint Lady Malfoy and her batshit cousin. But think about what happened to our dearest colleague Horace," he said, spitting the name like it was poison on his lips. "Now remember the last five years you've had Harry Potter in your classroom and you tell me what punishment might best suit that particular crime."

"If you are who you have claimed to be, you do not have it in you to be so cruel."

His face was hard. His smile cruel and filled with malice that he felt down to his core. He had forgiven his Severus Snape in the end. But he would never forget. Nearly twenty years worth of dwindling aurors and over-worked healers all because of one petty man's inability to impart knowledge in a manner where his charges actually learned anything. Nearly twenty years of terrorizing children like Neville who, out from under Snape's constant derision actually took to potions like a natural due to his extensive knowledge of Herbology. Not all of the blame sat with Severus though... no, Albus Dumbledore knew how unsuited the man was for the position, yet forced him into it anyway.

"Perhaps once," he said at last. "But I've had nine long years to perfect my technique with a Cruciatis since my attempt on Bellatrix. Do not test my patience, Severus. We both have a vested interest in protecting the Potter boy. You can either help me do that or you can stay out of my way. No matter what you choose, by this time next year I promise you that you will be free from both masters." He started to leave, but stopped as if just remembering something. "Oh and by the way, you should stop by Gringotts sometime over the break. James and Lily Potter left you some things in their Will. The one filed with the Ministry and sealed by the Chief Warlock was a decoy."

"Why am I just now learning of this?"

Hadrian smirked and raised a brow. "Why indeed." With a muttered word and a flick of his hand in Draco's general direction, the boy was revived and Peverell left the master of potions to ponder their meeting.

**o0o**

Poppy Pomfrey was not pleased.

Though she could not show it.

She sat in her private chambers, staring at the parchments and scrolls that were given to her by Professors Peverell and McGonogall over the last few weeks.

She was not one to drink, choosing to save it for social events like Christmas or ringing in the New Year.

"You can see the predicament we are in, Poppy," her oldest friend said softly as the school's matron turned to another stack of parchments she did not wish to see but knew she must if only to confirm with her own two eyes that which she had, under the orders of another and without her own knowledge, overlooked on purpose.

She started to reach with a shaking hand, but was stopped when a glass was placed in her grasp instead. "Trust me," Minerva said softly. "You're going to need it."

Her free hand went for the silver and quartz broach that had been given to her just hours before. Fingers lightly slid across it's cool surface before she put the glass to her lips, tilted her head back, and returned the glass. "Thank you, Minnie," she said softly before reaching for the stack of parchments.

She forced a slow, calm breath in and out as she read the name at the top of the first piece of paper. Potter, Harry J.

She had spent the night going over the last twenty years worth of student files, scrolls, and records in her cabinets with a fine toothed comb alongside her friend. The scotch was brought out when they'd found the papers for a much younger, and much neglected Severus Snape. The second bottle had been brought out half-way through an entire slew of Slytherin students from around the same time, all exhibiting similar... conditions... to Mr. Zabini. It was Harry's rather impressively sized stack that had caused Poppy to retreat to her bedroom for a few moments, returning with red rimmed eyes and a bottle of firewhisky confiscated at the end of the previous year.

"Why?" was all she could say. One little word to encompass everything that she had been made to ignore, to overlook, to treat but never question. To document but never pursue. Why would someone violate her mind and her autonomy in such a manner? Why force her to violate the oaths she held sacred as a healer and protector of the children that were meant to be under her care? Why prevent her from helping them an raising alarm when children came in at the start of a year beaten and bruised, clearly put into such a state before they boarded the train to school?

"I believe," Minerva began as she set down another scroll. "We can continue to ask that question until we are blue in the face and will never receive a straight answer from the one who should be giving it to us." She scooted forward, reaching over to put her hands on her friend's, making her look up. "Hadrian has broken the hold on you, and I believe he left you with a gift to help protect you further." The old lioness let her gaze drop down to the broach a moment before returning to the tear stained face of her friend. "We will get answers, but not yet."

"That man has done more good for this school in the few months he's been here than the headmaster has done in decades. When I had a few Hufflepuffs in here after a potions incident, five students from Slytherin house came to visit them and not one ill word was spoken between them."

"What year?"

"Fourth if you'd believe it. I don't know what that man does to make them start cooperating in his classes but it's working. Maybe not with the older years, but the younger years most definitely."

"I'll pass it along," Minerva said, pouring them each another drink. "And if he ever gets Potter and Malfoy to have a civil conversation that doesn't end in hexes, I say we send Albus off to retirement and put him in as headmaster." She knew it was ludicrous, especially knowing what she now did about the man, but at least it got a smile and a soft chuckle out of the kindly matron for the first time since she had been broken free of the Imperius that had been cast upon her nearly twenty years ago.


	11. A Bait and Switch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the extremely long period between updates. But y'know how it is when a muse decides to hibernate.
> 
> Reminder:  
> Harry = teenager  
> Hadrian = Professor Peverell/alt future Harry, Vaultbreaker, etc.

All the way up until the evening before students left for the Winter holiday Snape was giving him his most hateful glares. Minerva had started acting as a buffer between the pair of them. Snape, in his usual manner, dropping sarcastic hints around others about Peverell's true identity without coming right out and saying it. Something that seemed to have set off the blue eyed twinkle machine now. But Hadrian gave as good as he got. It wasn't too hard to smother his real self with the eccentric persona he had developed as Lord Peverell.

It also helped that occasionally he'd pass by the potions classes, when he knew Snape didn't have any Gryffindors, and slip a few dung-bombs in as he'd go by.

No one could prove it was him, or Potter for that matter. But that didn't stop the flouncy git from blaming either of them for it. Though Hadrian always took great pleasure to give Harry back whatever points Snape took off in his accusations, and did so in some of the most inane ways possible.

Like fifteen minutes before dinner, after finding out he'd taken ten points off for Harry being less than a minute late for someone else's class earlier that day. So Hadrian had come up with ten different reasons, loudly and in front of Snape, to give each and every point back to Harry, one point at a time.

He was just musing over the latest long list of ridiculous reasons he'd given points - this time to Longbottom just to infuriate Snape all the more - when he realized someone was trying to get his attention.

He turned at the table, looking down towards the Headmaster and gave the man a kind smile. "Yes, Albus?"

Professor Vector leaned back out of the way, but shot the headmaster an annoyed look to express her displeasure at being spoken across.

"After dinner I would like a word with you in my office if it wouldn't be too much of an inconvenience my boy."

Internally he cringed, but outwardly gave a small nod and softened his smile. "I may be a few minutes late. I did promise to see Madame Pomfrey about Miss Weasley's continued treatment when she returns after the holiday. My classes have a highly physical component to them and I wanted to ensure we had proper restrictions in place for her participation in the practicals."

"Excellent forethought. Excellent indeed my boy."

**o0o**

After dinner Harry went up to the Room of Requirement, his thumb rubbing the fake galleon in his hand as he waited for his friends to join him. It had taken him a while to figure it out, but once he was able to focus on a specific person and send the message out to only them, he'd started using that method to signal when he wanted Hermione and Ron to meet with him in secret.

The door opened and he jerked his head up. "Well, that explains why it gave me two extra chairs," he said when he saw Luna and Neville with his two best friends.

"You alright, Harry?" Neville asked as he held the door open for Hermione and Luna. Ron followed up in the rear, and the four friends joined Harry by the fireplace where five mugs of hot cocoa appeared on a silver tray.

Hermione smiled warmly at it. "Thank you, Dobby, wherever you're hiding this time." A little parchment note appeared with the words "Master Potter's Grangy is most welcome" written in shaky little script. She couldn't hide the smile that came to her face when she set it back down after reading. "That elf..." she said in amusement before picking up a cup.

Harry gestured for the others to take a mug. "Yeah, Neville. I'm alright now. Thanks you and 'Mione. I think Professor Peverell's got Dobby stalking my every move now. I can't get away with anything."

"That's good," Hermione said.

"You scared the daylights out of us, Harry. How in the world did you end up like that?"

Harry was silent, trying to formulate an answer. After a long moment and the only sound in the room being slurps of cocoa, Luna sat back in her chair, wiggled a bit to get comfortable and wrapped both hands around the warm ceramic. "That's a very interesting coat of arms, Harry," she said, drawing everyone's attention to her.

Harry looked at her with a confused frown. "What?"

"There on the tapestry. Daddy has a pendant sort of like that," she said. "But it doesn't have a phoenix on it," she said. "Or a crown."

Harry looked at the tapestry above the fireplace for the first time since the room had been furnished for him. He glanced down at the rings on his hand. The Potter ring shone brightly in the light from the fire and the torches. The crest there was nothing like the crest on the tapestry.

Hermione had perked up at the bit of knowledge. "I wonder if it's in any of the books in the library."

It looked vaguely familiar to Harry though. He knew he'd seen it somewhere before but couldn't quite recall where exactly. He shook the thought away. It didn't matter. He could always come back to it later. "Are any of you staying here for the holiday?" he asked instead.

When all of his friends shook their heads no, with Ron vocalizing that Ginny was coming home from the hospital for Christmas, Harry sighed in relief. "Thank Merlin. If any of you had to stay, I'd have invited you over and damn the consequences. I don't want any of you left here alone with the headmaster."

Luna didn't look up, instead sipping her cocoa and watching everything unfold. Ron straightened up some, frowning. Hermione and Neville cast nervous looks at one another. Harry held his mug in one hand and drummed the fingers of his other on the arm of his chair.

"You mean you've got somewhere to go this year?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. It's sort of complicated. I can't tell you. Same reason I can't tell these two about the other place. But... It's also unplottable so I can't get mail directly except from the Bank."

"Hey, as long as you're not stuck here either," Ron said, clearly relieved. "I think all of us have started to wise up to things."

Luna smiled as conversation started drifting to other things. Harry had told his friends about the night he ended up in Professor Peverell's private chambers. And about the secretive private lessons that Dumbledore had foisted upon him.

Hermione was of the opinion - like their professor - that Dumbledore should have just taken an evening or two and done all of them at once rather than taking a whole bloody term for showing him these memories. Once Harry had gotten talking about that night and the following day, he couldn't really stop.

He didn't entirely trust Peverell, either. No one except Remus and Sirius, and the people in that room with him of course, had ever been kind to him without wanting something from him in return. And there was just something... off about him. Harry couldn't quite put his finger on it. He had too many secrets to make him entirely trustworthy, and yet at the same time he felt absolutely safe when he was around. Like not even Voldemort could touch him as long as that man was out to keep an eye on him.

Eventually curfew was drawing close and Ron still had a few things he needed to pack for before they all hit the train the next day.

The Gryffindors waved goodnight to their only Ravenclaw, heading in one direction while she went the other.

**o0o**

He had wasted enough time in the infirmary. Mostly he had decided to sit and have tea with the woman who, though she didn't know it now, used to patch him up so often as a teenager.

He and Minerva had gotten her to open up a bit about the woman's experiences of late. Hadrian had explained to her exactly what he had found in his scans on her and her magical core and did so in such clinical terms that he knew she would appreciate the nearly pure objectivity he was approaching it with.

After talking with both her and Minerva, he had no doubt that before the kind old matron was put under the Imperius she had been subjected to years and years of nasty and overpowered compulsion and obedience charms. The traces of which had left scars on her magical core. Scars that could not be removed nor treated further. Though, if she studied mind magics like Occlumency then she may be able to stave off further attempts, as well as keeping the charmed brooch on her person at all times.

But all good discussions come to an end and he had put off Albus long enough.

Professor Peverell dragged himself resignedly through the castle and back to the gargoyle outside the office. He didn't bother trying to figure out or remember the inane muggle sweets based password and hissed at the thing in parseltongue. It moved faster than usual, and he stepped into the stairwell to travel up the spiral stairs as they carried him up to the landing.

Before he could even touch the door, he heard the Headmaster call out for him to enter. "I really hate how he does that..." Hadrian muttered to himself before stepping inside.

"Apologies for my lateness, Albus," he said, pasting on his best smile. "You know how it is. Healers and Curse Breakers get to arguing over what works best to reverse spell damage and we end up wasting days at a time." He took the opportunity to look around the room, narrowing his green gaze on Snape first before raising a brow at two others in the office he hadn't been expecting. "Auror Shacklebolt, it's a pleasure to see you again. Though this isn't in regards to the Slughorn case again I hope."

"Kept us waitin' nearly all night, boy-"

Hadrian's smile became even more forced as he turned his attention to the grizzled old man. His human eye trained on him while the other spun around crazily. "You must be retired Auror Alistair Moody."

The crazy eye moved quickly, zeroing in on him. No doubt studying him carefully. Hadrian raised a brow and tilted his head at him, briefly, as the crazy eye kept watch on his face but his normal one, the human eye, briefly shifted. So subtle and so minuscule a movement... But Hadrian had caught it. He'd seen such a thing his entire life - before - when he was another man.

"I'm sure the headmaster has spoken to you about me, or you've seen my name in the papers recently." He smiled and as if such an act was the most natural thing in the world for him to do, he pushed up his sleeves to expose his forearms and found an empty seat.

Kingsley watched as the young curse breaker, the professor for the year at least, so casually took in his surroundings. No suspicion. No seeming sense of self preservation. Green eyes simply looked around in curiosity, but the face was a mask. Of that he was certain. Why?... Well... It depended on what secrets the man was really hiding beneath the eccentric exterior.

"The Slughorn trial will be set for the 27th. It should last three days. The Ministry is anxious to get this over with as quickly as possible before the new year."

"Will I be called in for testimony? I did little more than dispel the enchantments that... detained him... so my testimony may not be worth much. But if summoned then I will be more than happy to lend my assistance."

"It shouldn't be necessary," Kingsley said.

"As important as it is to... deal with... the reprehensible crimes that have taken place in this school, there are more pressing matters that should be concerning us."

Hadrian glanced towards Snape and rolled his eyes. "Of course," he drawled in a very Malfoy-like way just to be an annoying git. "In what capacity would you gentlemen like my assistance? Teacher, curse breaker, ward specialist-"

"Goblin friend," Moody said.

"Ah... right. I see..." he replied, standing. "Then this is a pointless meeting gentlemen." He gave a slow nod. "I wish you all a very merry Yule and a happy new year."

From the perch, Fawkes gave a gentle trill. For the first time in the entire meeting, Kingsley saw a genuine smile cross the man's face. It was soft, almost kind. "And you as well, my good friend," he said to the flaming bird. He made his way back to the door, but Albus called out to him.

"There is another few matters I wished to discuss with you tonight Hadrian. Matters that are of the utmost importance."

"They cannot wait until tomorrow?"

"I'm afraid not."

He sighed and turned around. After squaring his shoulders he returned to his chair, crossed one leg over the other, and folded his hands into his lap. "So long as you seek not to abuse my position with the Goblins, I will be happy to be of assistance."

Blue eyes twinkled as another spun around the room again. "It is my understanding that Mr. Potter will be leaving the castle for the duration of the break from school. It is best if he remain here-"

"And you're coming to me because?"

"We've noticed that you have grown close to the boy in your short time here. At first I was concerned. You see, most who have been in your post did not look on him all that kindly-"

"Oh I heard about the pink toad. Nasty business, blood quills. Funny the Intent wards didn't kick in the moment she set foot on the property. Hell, her trunk shouldn't have been able to even cross the boundary either, given the dark objects she had in it. Wonder what happened to the wards preventing those, too."

The twinkle faltered as the roaming magical eye zeroed in on him again.

"And don't even get me started on a Death Eater posing as one of the most famous Dark Wizard catchers in the world. We've heard about Mr. Moody even in my isolated little patch of Australia. With that mark on his arm, neither he nor the headmaster of Durmstrang should have been able to get within fifty miles of this place."

"You know an awful lot for a foreigner."

"Constant vigilance," he said flatly. "You didn't honestly believe someone with my credentials would just blindly walk into this place without doing their research first, did you? That's incredibly irresponsible. Especially given there's an active Dark Lord in this country and an unreliable government. The more information on your country's situation that I had, and a proper read on the abysmal state of the magical education here, better helps me prepare these children for a war that isn't theirs to fight. Hopefully my lessons will allow them to stay alive while the grown ass adults who are both far too old enough to know better have their bloody slap fight over who's cock is bigger."

Snape's eyes were the only indication of his personal amusement. Kingsley fought to keep a straight face and Moody didn't even bother. The craggy face split into a wide, slightly manic grin before the old Auror took a hearty swallow from his flask. Hadrian sighed and shook his head. "Look. If it makes you feel any better, Mr. Potter will be staying with Remus Lupin for the duration of the holiday. And yes, I am well aware there will be a full moon during that period. I have already made arrangements for his Wolfsbane potion and during the moon, I personally will be sitting with Harry should the wolf get loose. He will be in absolutely no danger." He smiled politely.

"As confident as you may be in your protections, there is no safer place than Hogwarts for the boy other than his home with his aunt." At this Hadrian barked a laugh much in the same manner Sirius often did. But he did not otherwise interrupt. "The servants of Voldemort will stop at nothing to reach him. He will sacrifice as many of his pawns as it takes to break your wards and reach him."

"Tell me, headmaster. Do you truly believe a simple Fidellis is powerful enough to stop the Dark Lord if he were truly determined? If you thought the wards on your headquarters were strong and impenetrable, then you clearly haven't had the privilege of watching a man flayed alive for sneezing within the vicinity of the wards used on the Sumerian Blood God Temple."

Moody watched as the young man's cheerful disposition became an almost manic glee, his smile turning to a cruel caricature of the pleased expression he often saw on a Goblin's face. To see such on a wizard... Not many things in the world unsettled the old Auror. He'd seen his fair share of guts and gore. Lost his fair share, too if his numerous injuries were anything to go by. But even he wasn't prepared for the creature that sat before them.

"Since discovering it, that ward has become a personal favorite of mine. It has already caught seventeen owls, two house elves, and no less than 3 outer circle low ranking Death Eaters who happened upon the residence by pure accident."

"It is also very dark magic," Albus said, his tone showing concern and his eyes losing their everlasting twinkle. "Illegal dark magic."

"So were Lily Potter's blood runes," he said back calmly, but still looking like a rather pleased goblin. "Blood runes that created powerful protections triggered by willing human sacrifice."

"Human sacrifice?! The Potters were murdered-"

"He tried to spare her!" Hadrian roared back, rising from his seat. "I believe we are done here, gentlemen. Harry will be spending his holiday with his only remaining family, Mr. Lupin and there is nothing you can do or say to dissuade him."

"As his magical guardian, I must insist that Harry remain at Hogwarts for the duration. We are at war, Mr. Peverell-"

"I will overlook your disrespect for my title this time Headmaster. We are not at war. You are at war. The rest of us are caught in the middle while the Dark Lord and yourself fight over who's todger is the biggest," he said carefully, trying to keep his anger in check. He clenched his fists at his sides before willing himself to not lash out. He didn't need the old man to start wondering too hard about him if he went and destroyed the office in the same manner Harry had. The time for the Headmaster's judgment will come. But now was not that time yet. "I can see that whatever else you wish to discuss we will never come to an agreement or accord unless, of course, it is about classes and general school business." He turned his attention to Shacklebolt. "Thank you, sir, for the information regarding the trial. If I am not summoned as a witness, then I will most definitely be there to watch the trial and sentencing."

He turned away with a deliberate direction towards Snape and gave the man a curt nod before leaving the office, his head held high and his back straight. The murmurs began the moment the door was closed behind him, but he also heard the very loud and distinctive laugh from the portrait of one Phineas Nigellus Black.

**o0o**

Harry lay in bed that night, his stomach in knots as he re-read the parchment Dobby had brought to him moments ago. He wouldn't be boarding the train with his friends. Instead, there was another plan in place to get him out of the castle.

Professor Peverell - no, Evan when they weren't in class - thought the headmaster would try to pull something to prevent him leaving. So he was to meet the Professor in an alcove near Gryffindor Tower in the morning as the students were leaving. And to bring his trunk.

**o0o**

It was a surprised Sirius and Remus who were stirred from their late breakfast when Harry and Dobby had literally popped into the kitchen of the cottage by the sea. Immediately the dogfathers were suspicious until Harry handed Remus the note.

"Is this true Dobby?"

"Yes Mister Wolfy sir. Dobby's master says crazy old peg leg stayed in castle last night. He does not trust the Dumblydoodle."

Sirius barked a laugh at that. "Dumblydoodle! That's a new one!" he exclaimed. "Well pup, have you eaten? Pull up a chair!"

Dobby grinned. He liked to make his master's doggies laugh. "Master Hadrian sir says yous still to go to meet the train, Mister Wolfy sir."

"Why? Harry's here-"

"He took my place on the train."

"Why?"

"I'm not the only one he's worried about."

"Your friends?" Sirius asked, uncharacteristically serious for a change. "He thinks something might happen to them?"

Harry nodded as he pulled up a chair. Dobby quietly popped out to return to his duties for his other Mr. Harry Potter sir as Harry and the two men started to talk about what his DADA professor had quickly told him in the alcove that morning.

Meanwhile in the magical village of Hogsmede, a man who looked like Harry Potter was seen boarding the Hogwarts Express. But only one mismatched pair of eyes could see through the glamour Professor Peverell was wearing as he so easily blended in with Harry's friends in the crowd. He was slightly impressed by the switch, knowing it was very likely the man had already found a way to secret the boy away to his bolthole.

He'd told Albus time and time again that the wards needed to be beefed up to not allow house elves to apparate through them. But no, his old friend didn't think it was worth the effort. And Alastor Moody wasn't inclined to bring it up as long as the Potter boy remained safe.

Though it was odd, the old Auror observed, how incredibly well Lord Peverell was able to pull off deceiving the boy's closest friends. He was either very very good or the boys and girls were very very easily fooled.

**o0o**

The moment the train started moving out of Hogsmede station, the boy that wasn't Harry stood up and crossed the compartment. He stuck his head into the corridor and looked up and down it before ducking back inside and locking the door to all but the treats trolley witch. He pulled down the shade only to secure it with a sticking charm to make sure no one could see inside.

"Harry?" Hermione asked. "Harry are you alright?"

"Harry's fine. He's already at home," Luna said sweetly. "Isn't that right, Professor Peverell?"

He smiled, and it was weird to see Harry's face smile, but to see it not actually be out of place. Not like it should have been with someone pretending to be someone else. Of the other three in the compartment, only Luna seemed unsurprised by this turn of events. Neville frowned and Hermione gasped in surprise.

"Sorry about this, kids. But Harry's safety is of the utmost priority. He didn't even know we were making a switch until the middle of the night."

"What about Ron?" Hermione asked him.

"He'll sit with someone else I suppose. Besides, what I want to offer isn't open to him and he'll be busy preparing for his sister to come home." Hadrian as Harry settled back into his seat beside Luna and made himself comfortable. "How would the three of you like to visit with Harry at his home and ring in the New Year?"

"What?! Really?!"

Hadrian nodded. "I'll speak to all of your guardians first of course, and if it is alright with them, I will send you each a special portkey to get through the high powered wards I've put in place. And, if things go smoothly I'll see about a longer stay during the summer. I believe the three of you would greatly enjoy it and it would do Harry a lot of good to have you around."

The rest of the trip to London was spent with Hadrian answering questions from Hermione, himself asking Herbology related things to Neville, and Luna discussing the strange creatures that Hermione and Neville didn't believe in but Hadrian seemed truly enthralled and excited to hear about.

The four parted at the platform with "Harry" making his way towards a waiting Remus Lupin. All the while knowing nearby, thinking he was slick and clever, Alastor Moody was hiding under his invisibility cloak watching his every move.


	12. Houselves and Horcruxes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is rather shorter than the rest, but I felt it needed to be posted to help make up for the long hiatus.
> 
> Reminder:  
> Harry = teenager, present harry potter  
> Hadrian = Professor Peverell/alt future harry potter/Vaultbreaker, etc.

 

Professor Peverell stayed for supper. It was a rabbit stew with a hearty, meaty broth and pearl onions. Large chunks of potato, carrots, and some turnips thrown in. There was also a loaf of herb bread made fresh by Hadrian to go with their supper. At first conversation was awkward - Harry wanted to know more about how Sirius and Hadrian first met while Sirius was on the run. Sirius, at a loss for what story to spin, was relieved when Hadrian simply said, "Unfortunately at the time I was working as an Unspeakable for the Australian Ministry and as per usual Sirius came blundering in while I was working. That's all we can tell you. Due to the nature of my work, Sirius had to swear on his life and magic not to reveal any of the secrets he'd learned from that part of his trip."

"You know," the grinning old dog said thoughtfully. "This makes twice now you've saved my life. If I'm not careful I might find you calling in my debts."

Hadrian shook his head with a small, almost sad smile. It was fleeting, and the man didn't even seem to notice. But when he looked towards their dinner companions, Hadrian had to look away from the curious amber gaze of Remus. "Now then, I have business to take care of before I can hit my pillow tonight. Dobby, you don't have to appear but could you fetch Winky for me please!" he called as Harry had started to clear the dishes out of habit.

Soon enough there were two pops near the table, followed by the miserable wails of a female house elf. Hadrian turned to Sirius. "How attached are you to the old cunt haunting Grimmauld Place?"

"How do you know about-"

"I know a great many things Remus. I'll explain it before the holiday is over I assure you. Now, Sirius-"

"Not very. The little bastard ratted me out to my cousins."

"I thought as much. Winky will be a fine replacement. She doesn't do well while free and because of her unfortunate dismissal has a bit of a chip on her shoulder so she will go above and beyond the call of duty. Zealously in fact."

"And what about the old wrinkled-"

"I have the perfect punishment in mind. Call him," Hadrian said as Harry retook his seat at the table. Remus quietly and quickly brought him up to speed as Sirius refused to call Kreacher to him.

"Trust me," Hadrian insisted. "I have given this a lot of thought for a very long time. And no matter what he says or does, don't insult him back."

Sirius sighed. "Fine," he said. "On your head be it." He took a deep breath, forced himself to be calm, and then nodded with determination. "KREACHER! Get your disgusting, hideous wrinkled arse here NOW!"

Harry shook his head with a sigh. Remus smacked Sirius upside his, and Hadrian rolled his eyes. "What did I just-"

But he was interrupted with two more pops. Apparently Dobby had gone to fetch the wretched bastard.

"Kreacher will not serve the filthy halfblood-" but his struggling ceased when he saw Sirius there. Alive and quite well. "Nasty horrible disgusting blood traitor! Oh how Kreacher's mistress curses the day the wretched spawn was born! Mistress celebrated when Kreacher told her Sirius was dead!"

Sirius clenched his jaw as Hadrian turned to Dobby. "Dobby, Winky. Do you two know what happens to bad elves who betray their families?"

"Clothes!" Winky shrieked.

"No. Elves who betray their families, especially to their enemies, are put to death. But Sirius is going to be merciful and sell him to me. Aren't you Sirius?"

"I-"

"For a single knut," he said. "For a single knut, Kreacher will join the Royal House of Peverell. Kreacher must have heard of the family. The darkest family to have ever lived. Darker than even Salazar Slytherin if I'm not mistaken. Would you like that Kreacher? I'm a prince from the darkest pureblood family in all of Europe. The perfect place for an elf like you."

Kreacher's eyes widened and he nodded his head. Dobby was angry, but Hadrian stilled the excitable elf's wrath before he took a single bronze piece from his pocket. "Here you go Sirius. One knut for one bad elf."

"I don't think this is a good idea..." Harry said, glancing at the elf then his professor.

"Now then Kreacher. To make sure you don't betray your new master, we're going to do this the old fashioned way." Like with Dobby, he cut his hand. Signaling for Kreacher to do the same. The pair repeated the small bonding ritual that he had done with Dobby, and then his kind and warm smile turned cruel. Cruel enough that Harry was reminded of the day they first met in the goblin's office. Reminded that this was a man who repeatedly stood up to Snape for him and others that were always harassed by the greasy bat.

"Kreacher, as your new master, here are your standing orders. You are forbidden from answering to anyone of your old house with the exception of Lord Sirius Black, Miss Nymphadora Tonks, Lady Andromeda Black-Tonks, and Lord Harry Potter."

Kreacher was about to open his mouth, but he was quickly silenced. "You are also ordered to remain silent for the rest of your life. You may never speak again. All of your responses will be a shake left to right for no, or a nod up and down for yes. You will be subservient to Dobby, who is the head elf of House Peverell. No matter what he orders you to do, it is to be done to the absolute best of your ability."

Kreacher's face was twisted in a look of horror. "Furthermore, my mother was a muggle and my father a squib. From a very long line of squibs actually. Dating back to two generations after Antioch Peverell himself." The poor elf wanted to make a sound. He wanted to wail and moan and thrash about but could not do so. As he had not been given permission to do so. "You are to wear a uniform made for you by Dobby, and it will be crestless. Because you have not earned the right to be known as a Peverell elf. You are bound to me, and to keep my secrets and those of the people in this room. Failure to do so will result in far worse torture than this I assure you. Now get out of my sight."

The elf hurriedly left as Sirius burst into laughter. Harry stared at his professor in shock as the man seemed to deflate with relief. "That was so cruel."

Hadrian nodded. "But also kind. I gave him what he's always wanted. To serve a powerful, dark pureblood family with a long history. I just didn't tell him until afterwards that the only remnants of the pureblood Peverell legacy are three halfbloods."

"Three?"

"Yes. Three. Me, as the head of the family descended of the eldest brother Antioch. Yourself, descended of the youngest brother Ignotus. And the third will not be a member of the family for much longer."

"Who?"

"I think you know who," he said with a twinkle in his green eyes, cutting his gaze subtly to the faded scar on Harry's forehead. "Riddle's ancestor is the middle Peverell brother, Cadmus. But all of his children were born to his mistress, not his wife. This is one of the best kept secrets of the Dark families of Magical Britain. Most of them, except for a very few, claim to have some connection to my family through Cadmus's descendants. This is how a lot of them gained their Most Ancient or Ancient status. Once the bloodline of Cadmus's bastards is publicly denounced-"

"Every single one of the families claiming links to that bloodline will have their status revoked or downgraded."

Hadrian nodded to Remus with a smile. "Exactly."

Sirius sat back and stared at the grown version of his godson as he continued talking rather animatedly with Remus as they moved from one topic to another, mostly related to history. He quietly, and quickly did the more common bonding ritual with Winky - a quick memorized line and tap on her head with his hand. Then he turned his attention to Harry, who sat silently listening to the two men before he caught the boy's eye. He gave a nod towards the door that led into the sitting room before getting up and leaving the table. Harry waited a moment before politely excusing himself and following.

He found Sirius already seated in front of the fire, a tumbler of amber colored liquid in his hand. "Come over where it's warm. Sit."

Harry didn't hesitate to do so. A mug of hot chocolate immediately appeared floating before him. Sirius smiled. He was doing that a lot around Harry since they had moved into the cottage. Though their time together so far hadn't been all that long before school had started back, he could tell his godfather was happier than he'd been in years. He had color to his cheeks and it wasn't just from the heat of the fire. His hair, still peppered with premature grey from his stint in Azkaban, had a healthy sheen to it now. He wasn't the man he was before Azkaban, of that he was certain, but he was much closer than he had been when he had passed through the Veil...

The Veil.

The arch in the chamber of death. What little he had been able to learn from the library at Hogwarts, and even that was due to sneaking into the restricted section after curfew. Before the use of Dementors, which was seen as a more humane method of execution, the Veil of Death was used to execute the death sentence of the most dangerous criminals in the middle ages. No one came back from that. Until the man seated in front of him.

"A couple of knuts for your thoughts, pup?"

Harry was shaken from his wandering thoughts, only to sip his cocoa and shake his head. "Nothing important. Just... just grateful to have you back Padfoot."

"And it's good to be back, pup," he said, taking a sip of his drink before setting it down. His happy look wavered a moment before he nodded to himself and sighed. "There's also something I need to talk to you about."

Harry frowned, opened his mouth, but Sirius spoke up again.

"It's nothing about you, specifically. But you need to know about it. That thing they took out of your head, the Horcrux," he said. "There's more."

"The diary," Harry said softly.

Sirius nodded. "From what I've heard, I have to agree. But there's more than that even." He raked a hand through his longish hair and sighed. He'd written back and forth with Hadrian about how to handle the subject with Harry. Especially after he'd had to give a lot of thought to things the locket had forced him to think about. It was decided between the two of them that Sirius would have to explain it to Harry. Having the older version of himself do it now would raise too many questions that neither man was ready to answer.

He recalled some of the letters Hadrian had written to him and nodded. An ear twitched when he heard the door in the next room close, his canine senses assuring him that both Remus and Peverell had left the kitchen and gone outside.

He started his well rehearsed and only slightly not quite truthful explanation as Harry sipped his cocoa again. "When I died... I saw some things. Terrible things, pup. If you were to walk up to the old nose-less arse and kill him right where he sits, he'll only come back unless all these things are destroyed. Do you understand?"

Harry was silent, thinking it over. Was that how Voldemort survived the rebounded curse? How he survived the death of Professor Quirrell? "Not really... I mean," he sighed and set his mug down. "How many are there? I destroyed the diary, and the Goblins got the one in me. So there's two-"

"Seven," Sirius said. "He made seven. The diary, you, a ring that the headmaster destroyed. A necklace that was hiding in my old house that Remus and I got to. There's four. Three more left to go. Then we can get the bastard."

"I have to do it, Sirius."

"The prophecy?"

Harry nodded solemnly. "We can only die at the hand of each other."

Sirius thought a moment and gave a small smirk. "Really? And who told you that?"

"It's what the prophecy says. It's him or me."

"What if there was a third option?"

"A third option? Sirius you can't! I won't let you-" His words were cut off by a loud shrieking noise from outside. Sirius winced, and Harry jumped from his seat to rush to the nearest door.

Sirius downed the rest of his drink and got up to follow. When he caught up to Harry out beyond the back porch, Hadrian and a rather shaken Remus were coming out of the trees. The professor holding the Sword of Gryffindor aloft while Remus carried a small cloth sack.

"Didn't know you'd be bringing it tonight, Bolt!" he called out to his friends. "Otherwise I'd have helped!"

"Moony deserved to handle one, too Padfoot," he called back. "Besides, you're just vain enough you'd have put the bloody thing on before we could break the damnable thing!"

When they got closer, Remus opened the sack and let Harry and Sirius peer into it. The sword was kept carefully to the side to make sure it wouldn't touch anyone. The animagus and his godson looked at one another before looking back in the sack. "It's... what was it?"

"Ravenclaw's diadem," Remus said. "At least it was, until he decided to melt it down to slag."

"What?!" Sirius and Harry exclaimed.

Hadrian smirked. "Well, Remus hit it with the sword but it didn't work. So I figured I'd... well... blast it with phoenix fire. Guess what finally worked." He laughed, the sound having a slight musical quality to it that seemed to lift the mood of his three companions. "Come on, Remus needs a bit of chocolate and I need to get back to the school. I'm sure Moody's probably already told the old codger about our bait and switch with the Express."

**o0o**

When Peverell returned just after the remaining residents of Hogwarts had their supper, he was not surprised to receive a summons from the Headmaster.

A summons that he promptly ignored, much to the man in the high tower's annoyance.

Unknown to him at the time, there was quite the gathering of house elves in an abandoned classroom on a corridor that hardly, if ever, saw traffic. Cheering and jeering among them as two house elves, armed with a bucket lid for a shield and broom handles for a weapon squared off against one another in an ancient house elf ritual fight intended to settle scores and raise or lower the honor of the elf's master.

It was uncommon, but not unheard of, for house elves to challenge one another when they felt their master had been wronged. And in this case Dobby the house elf felt that his master Hadrian had been recipient of an offense as the house elf opposing him, named Tippy, had been caught red handed pilfering through his master Hadrian's bedroom.

Dobby had accused Tippy of spying for the headmaster - for it was widely known that Tippy was the Barmy Old Codger's favorite of all the house elves. Tippy claimed to have been cleaning, but Dobby didn't believe it and had issued the sacred house elves challenge to battle immediately.

As the two elves clashed in a fierce fight for honor, high up in the headmaster's office Albus Dumbledore sat pondering over a letter that Tippy had brought to him hours ago. It was a curious thing, to read a letter from a dead man who asked after the well-being of Harry Potter, among other things.

A curious thing indeed.

But Hadrian was ignorant of all of the goings on, as he was nestled in his favored chair by the fire, an old children's book in his hand, and a hot mug of cocoa spiked with firewhisky on the low table beside him. It had been a long day - a long couple of months - and he felt he had earned a nice quiet evening in before he enacted the next step in his plans.


End file.
